his Sister Merinda apart who hee perceived had some Credit with Almeria conjuring her to bee favourable to him and perswade her Companion to accept of him for her Husband Merinda being ready to burst with laughing had all the pain in the World to keep her Tongue from blabbing and dissemble what shee knew but the fidelity which shee had sworn to Almeria forbad her to undeceive Manile by declaring the truth of the Story only shee advised him to withdraw his thoughts from that Object representing to him how vaine and indiscreet a thing it was for him to seek his Pleasure to the prejudice of his Honour that marrying one who formerly had lived loosely it would be a perpetuall Reproach and Confusion to him if ever it came to bee divulged Besides that Hee could not but bee in a continuall Jealousie and Apprehension lest such a wife should return to her former lightness and that the humours of Maids bred up in Citties were very hard to bee discerned in regard they concealed as many crafty devices in their heads as a Leopard discovereth spots in his skin Yet all these Remonstrances made no Impression in Manile's minde being determined to have Almeria or perish All this was but the beginning of the Labyrinth in which those Country-Spirits did finde themselves involved It hapned one day as Merinda was looking for something in her Trunk that Remonda her younger Sister came unexpectedly into the Chamber where seeing a Man's apparell which seemed to her very costly Curiosity an accident inseparable to the Nature of that Sex egged her to inquire to whom those Cloaths belonged Merinda surprised a little at her demand remained some time without replying at length being urged to an answer her affection which had sharpned her wit suggested her to pay the other's Importunity with this ready Evasion These are the Cloathes said shee which Almeria wore when shee came for refuge hither How Almeria sayd Remonda These are Men's Cloathes That 's granted replyed Merinda for shee disguised her self in this habit to avoid the fury of her Parents who would have Persecuted her to Death Why so answered the inquisitive Remonda what had shee done mee think 's there is nothing more Sweet nor faire conditioned than Shee Then Merinda related to her the same Fiction wherewith Celian had fed the curiosity of Manile with charge not to speak of it for her life which afterwards occasioned a strange confusion For People of that Nature have never a greater itch to bee Tatling than when they are commanded to be Silent and the greater the danger is the more are they tempted to reveal it This was not all Celian had another Son marryed to the Daughter of a rich Husbandman not far off who since his Marriage lived in his Father-in-law's House Lupicin so was this Elder Son called coming sometimes to visite his Father had no sooner Invisaged Almeria but asking who shee was Remonda told him all shee knew and added of her own what her Imagination did dictate Whereupon hee being not very fond of his Wife whose disposition was none of the meekest entertained presently a conceit that hee should render her more carefull to please him if in her presence hee should make shew of some inclination to Almeria but the Event was otherwise for shee grew horn-mad with Jealousie Flâ—urial brother to Belida Lupicin's wife had no sooner observed this new Star on that Horizon but hee was touched with her Influences and became Manile's Rivall Merinda and Remonda before Almeria's coming had both of them Servants that is Young-men of their condition that made Love to them But as in the presence of a Diamond the Loadstone loseth the Naturall Vertue it hath of attracting Iron So since Almeria's Arrivall they lost all their attractions and were as little minded as Stars at Mid-day there were no eyes but to gaze upon the handsome stranger shee was the Rock whereon they all suffred Shipwrack or rather the Altar where they Sacrificed their Vows Merinda who saw all this Maze and laught at the severall passages with Almeria was little troubled for the Inconstancy of Antalcas who was her pretendant having higher thoughts than hee according to the hopes wherewith Almeria fed her Fancy But Jealousie transported Remonda into strange fits of Fury seeing her self robbed of the Eyes Heart and Conversation of her Polemas who before hee had seen Almeria's face expressed so much affection and sealed his Protestations to her with so many Oaths Whereupon this spightfull Female fell into such tearms of Precipitation against Almeria that shee did render her the most Infamous Creature under the Heavens adding to the Story Celian had framed so many other horrid Circumstances that it seemed Heaven had not Thunderbolts enough nor the Earth Punishments sufficient to expiate the Imaginary crimes of Almeria which shee published every where for truths If her Father chid or threatned her that did but irritate her spleenfulll appetite of scandalizing the Innocent stranger Yet for all this her Sweet-heart looked no more after her his Passion for Almeria either stopping his ears against the injurious Reproaches which shee vomited against him and this new Object of his thoughts or else making him believe that it was meerly Calumnie proceeding from the Envie which possessed her for being frustrated of his Services Merinda who gave her the Lie at every turn and who said as much in defence of her Companion effaced by her commendations the malicious detraction of her Sister and in respect wee are apt to believe what wee desire that troop of Rivalls suffered themselves to bee perswaded by her that spake advantageously of the Common Object of their affections rather than by her whose invectives discovered so visible a Passion that had shee spoken truths they would have sounded in their Ears but as fictions But as when blustering Boreas and the South wind are in contention the Air and Sea are filled with Storms and Tempests in such sort that it seem's as if those two Elements would exchange their Centers So when Belida's Jealousie together with Remonda's railing came to joyn or rather to oppose give the shock to Merinda's justifications of Almeria it made as foul an House as can be imagined to bee amongst vulgar Women that quarrell where all Speak and none Heare Reason being banished from their Pratling Who ever saw a Company of Birds gathered together about an Owl some pecking it some admiring as it were it's form and all crying after that Night theef hath seen a shadow of this Medlie of Passions for one poor Subject some of Love some of Envie others of Jealousie and all as foolish as disorderly And indeed what else can be expected from Rusticks Amongst whom Fleurial was one of the most eager who not knowing that his Brother-in-Law Lupicin made shew of love to Almeria for any other end than to reduce his Wife to Reason by some prick of Jealousie casting Oyl upon the Fire of his Sister's Fury set
for the defence of your Royall Authority against the Insolence of the Rebells What would those envious persons say whose Calumnies have for so long time deprived mee of the Honour of your presence the onely felicity of my Life or rather what would they not say if in this publick occurrence I should not give some testimony that I am not so desirous of receiving your Liberalities as to deserve them by my indeavours and the effusion of my Blood which are but slender proofs of the boundless affection I have to serve you Permit therefore gracious Sir by whose Munificence I injoy both my Honour and Estate that I may expend this and imploy that for your Majesty to whom I am so far ingaged that although I should sacrifice my Life in your Wars I should not requite the least of those Obligations which render me Eternally your Debter Scarce had hee by this answer waved the inticements of the Court but a Surcharge shall I say of Affliction or importunate Affection opposed his determination it was a tedious but loving Letter from Modestina adorned with the Flowers of so plaintive a Rhethorick that Iphigenes heart was much more moved at those sad Contents than allured with the King's invitations yet having paid her with a like excuse hee continued his preparations for the War The Palatine's power is so absolute in Polonia that when they command the Drums to beat for any Expedition all those in their territories who are obliged to the exercise of Arms must presently bee in a readiness to march Besides this Authority Iphigenes beeing of a very obliging and liberall disposition in short time hee raised a considerable party of as gallant Horse as any were in the whole Army Mieslas used the like diligence in his Palatinate but beeing of a greedy tenacious humour and more ready to take from others than impart any thing of his own his Levies were not comparable to his Son 's who met him at the Rendez-vous And although they were ill satisfied enough of each other yet at that time they trampled under feet all private considerations to apply their united forces to the present service of the Publick and their Prince The revolted Lithuanians not daring to incounter the Royall Army in the Field sheltred themselves under the bulwarks of the strongest Holds then in their possession So that after some slight skirmishes the Loyall Party besieged the Mutiniers in their chief City named Minsce scituate upon the River Nepor which the Antients called Boristhenes Liante amongst others had cast himself into this place with Olavius Palatine of that Province and Bogdales Palatine of Troc his Confederate besides divers Castellains and Gentlemen of note This City was strongly fortified and well stored with Provisions and all necessaries requisite to maintain a Siege And as Despair redouble's the courage of those who know the unjustness of their cause there was not any of those Factious Spirits but resolved to suffer the utmost of extremities rather than surrender Olavius had retired within those Walls his whole Family Wealth and as I may say all his Fortune Whilest the Royall Army were drawing their Lines of Circumvallation the Rebells made Sallies daily and allarmed them with hot skermishes and sometimes sent Challenges for single Combats I should swell this Volume too much if I stood to relate the particulars therefore not to tire the Reader I shall onely mention some persons principally concerned in my History But first I must crave leave to say that the Planets of Mars and Venus who do so frequently interchange their glances in the Heavens have such powerfull influences upon Earth that it seem's the one hath no sooner cast his Aspect upon any Morrall but the other by some agreeable Sympathy take 's possession of the same Object And in effect among those who make profession of handling a Sword it seem's that the wearing thereof would not bee fortunate to them if it were not imployed for the consideration of some Lady as it is commonly seen that Gentlemen expose their Persons to most eminent dangers to give testimony of their Valour in favour of Her whom they serve Liante who till then had lived in exceeding restraint seeing himself in full liberty of his desires was easily induced to the naturall inclination hee had to Love Olavius among divers other Children had two Daughters whose Beauty deserved observation But the younger had a great advantage of Nature above her Elder Sister who was inferiour to her in all things but her age wherein shee surpassed her by many years The one was full-ripe and in a condition that seemed visibly to demand an Husband The other was a Bud not quite blown yet discovered something that promised in her season all the excellences of a perfect Rose but as yet so green that her yeares might have dispensed the hastiest of her Sex to render her selfe under Hymen's pleasing yoak her humour was childishly vain and more apt to give then receive Passion her Judgement beeing yet insusceptible of any It was Liante's Fortune to be caught with this bait betwixt seeing her and beeing taken there was no great intervall His Birth and Estate which hee hoped to recover by Olavius means gave him confidence enough to aspire to that alliance and the merit of the Object contein'd captive but too many attractions to his desire Nevertheless hee hid his Fire under the Ashes of discretion expecting a fit time and opportunity to disclose his intentions Clemencia Sister to Iphigenes possessed no such charms as could oblige him to much Constancy her fidelity onely having moved his Heart to a reciprocall amity but in regard the Despair of possessing her by reason of Mieslas cruelty and the Prince Cassin's research forced him to relinquish that desire hee thought more of beeing revenged of that savage Palatine of Podolia than of seeking her alliance beeing the rather incited thereunto by Despight seeing his Sister Modestina upon the point of beeing repudiated by Iphigenes Upon these considerations hee suffered the inclinations of his Minde to bend under the yoak of this new Captivity suppressing however his flames within his brest allowing nothing to outward appearances but what Modestie and Decency might permit Whilest hee was contriving projects for the conquest of this Rachel Olavius studied how to ingage him in his alliance by giving him the Leah It beeing the custome in these dayes as well as in Laban's time to marry the Elder Daughters before the yonger Age Reason and Decency requiring no less Olavius having formerly been familiarly acquainted with Liante's Father and knowing to how great an estate hee was heir though Mieslas unjustly deteined it from him thought it no small advantage to have him for a Son-in law notwithstanding his disgrace which hee could not have hoped for if Fortune had been more kinde to him Therefore to make him fall into his Nets hee received him as yet all wet with his Shipwrack into his house cherished him as his Son
for back againe to Court to avoyd the ruine of the Province and the trouble of further complaints During these many journies and long absences of Mieslas grew up the hopefull Iphigenes whom the carefull Aretuza had caused to be nursed in a County remote from Podolia having given charge of her to an antient and faithfull servant of her Father's whom She made Depositary or Gardian of her Child and secret Whilest the supposed Iphigenes passed his Infancy with Aretuza Boleslaüs foster-father of the true one did not only make all those that came to see her believe she was a Boy but bred the Child likewise in the same opinion And although her extraordinary tender Complexion seemed to accuse her of being a Girle yet the advantage of imagining her selfe to be of the robuster Sex added to the generosity which she had by Nature made her not only incline but delight in the sports and exercises of Boyes as if she had been as her habit spake her About two years after the birth of Iphigenes Aretuza who seemed to be ordeined to bring forth none but females and fill the World with that Commodity which is hard enough to keep yet harder to put off was brought to bed of another Daughter who had not so rare a Beauty as to make her be much admired nor such remarkable defects as might make her be despised Mieslas being then at Court and having appealed his choller by the imagination he had of being Father to a goodly Son expressed not much distaste at the comming of this fift Daughter especially when he heard that she was faire enough and without deformity Aretuza made her be named Clemencia as having experimented in her the Clemencie of her Husband of whose more courteous usage she began thence-forwards to have some hopes Among great persons Marriages doe not alwaies accompanie Baptisme but oftentimes precede it for to allie illustrious families to purchase a support to maintaine factions and effect divers other such practises frequently used in Courts Parents doe sometimes promise to marry their Children before they are in Being as many do procure benefices and charges for the Children which they shall have whence an eminent man of our times tooke occasion to say That it was no marvell if great Ladies had hard labours since their Children were Mitred and Armed before they came out of their Wombs Such were the thoughts of Mieslas who was so mad for a Son onely to make him marry Rosuald's Daughter his Ward promising himselfe to obteine some spirituall Benefices for her Brother and so make him renounce the inheritance which he intended to draw into his owne family by meanes of her marriage with his Son Those that are lavish spenders are glad to meet with Estates gotten to their hands without any trouble or pain of theirs for they naturally hate frugality Mieslas who was of this humour relyed absolutely upon the wealth of Rosuald his predecessor in the Palatinate with the Revenues and Interest of whose Estate he splendidly mainteined all his train without touching the main stock whereof he could not dispose without prejudice to his Wards But because this Lamprey might in time slip out of his hand he determined to take a Fig-leaf that is to contract an Alliance whereby he might gain the full possession of that mighty Estate and make himself enter upon the labours and acquisitions of his Predecessor And in regard that the want of years in both Parties might give occasion to the kindred of his Wards already much displeased that he had ravished the Gardianship out of their hands to endeavour to render invalid this Alliance through the default of a mutuall consent which is the principall knot of Matrimony he obteined from the King a permission for them to marry in their Childhood or at least to contract them so that the meanes could not be taken out of his possession This was in agitation before Iphigenes was five yeares old And Aretuza being not well pleased to see that a supposed Child should reap before the season that which she as well as Mieslas desired to preserve in their owne family taking the opportunity of a whole year's time her Husband was absent she sent the false Iphigenes home to his Mother and took the reall one into her own tuition giving Boleslaüs who had brought her up from the Cradle the conduct and government of her to the end that he should help to conceale that which she would not have Mieslas know and that he might see her learn all the recommendable qualities and exercises requisite for a Gentleman of such Extraction Permit that we speak of her hence forwards as a Male since her Mother will have it so and her Father thinks her so Herein Aretuza was served as faithfully as she could desire in a business sso ticklish and dangerous that she ran no less hazard then of losing her own life if Mieslas should discover the deceipt who at his return found his Son so beautifull for it was a little Angel that he was quite ravished But if his Body was agreeable believe it that exteriour domicile lodged a Wit that surpassed many degrees any of that growth which augmented exceedingly the Father's joy who staying very little at home being for the most part either visiting his Palatinate or called to Court or sent upon some Military expedition for defence of his Country injoyed but seldome and short whiles the sight of his dear Son who was the light and delight of his Soul Iphigenes had scarce yet seen eight years in the World when hee was marryed God knows how to Modestina Rosuald's Daughter and Ward to Mieslas who deserved that name for her incomparable Modesty she was so much elder then Iphigenes as that the Husband and Wife could make up eighteen years between them Mieslas being of a magnificent humour invited the greatest part of the Nobility and Gentry of his Palatinate to the Wedding which was celebrated with all the delights and greatest Pomp imaginable But one Ceremony that he caused to be done was very needless which was to make a Venerable Matron lye betwixt the marryed Couple lest they should approach each other in the Night This Prudent caution of his would have made Aretuza laugh heartily if her continuall apprehension that the secret would be discovered had not held her in the same transe that kept Damocles from eating at the Tyrant of Sicilie's table Liante Modestina's onely Brother was destined by Mieslas to be a Church-man to the end that by that Spirituall and Leviticall Circumcision his Sister might remain sole Inheritrix of Rosuald's Estate and the whole Patrimony come to Iphigenes This was the Palatine's plot but Liante being high-sirited and of a Martiall disposition took more delight in Arms than at his Book and was more ambitious of wearing a Sword than a Priest's Cassack Nevertheless as Trees which are young may be bended which way the Master pleaseth the same is commonly done with Children who
that Climat filled it with the splendor of his Rayes casting such fiery glances and so penetrating a light that it was hard for any if not blind to avoid the scorching of his presence The Spring is not adorned with so many flowers nor Titan's glorious Orb with so many beams as hee displayed Beauties and attractive Graces All his Actions his looks his words his deportments his exercises were as many Charms that inchanted the hearts of all those that did contemplate him The attribute of Beautifull was presently given him by the common consent of both Gentlemen and Ladies and hee was usually called The beautifull Podolian To see him and to bee in love with him were two things that followed each other as the Lightning and Thunder are observed to do And those that knew him but by reputation only cherished his Memory for besides his dexteritie in those Exercifes which Courtiers hold for vertues as Singing Dancing Vaulting Managing a horse with activitie and a grace handling well his Arms and having a good Garb His Language was so smooth his Disposition so sweet his Compliments so indeering his Conversation so winning especially amongst the Ladies his Modestie so remarkable his Chastitie so extraordinarie in a Courtier his Discretion so exquisite his Courage so undaunted his Tongue so moderate his Gesture so well composed his Generosity so splendid his Liberality so magnificent such Decency in his apparell a Sternness in his Armour so sweetly fierce that it seemed as if Venus having taken possession of his Face and Mars of his Heart and the Ferocity of the one being tempered with the Gentleness of the other had both conspired to give him the Empire over all hearts either by Force or Love It cannot bee imagined what ravage his beautifull face made in the Ladie 's brests every one took him for an Angell descended from Heaven to set on fire all the daughters of Men and what was most of all admired was to see that this glorious Starre like the Sunne ingendred a thousand flames without having in himself or at least without making shew of any degree of heat giving what he had not that is Love There was during the winter which is extremely rigorous in Polonia a new disease so universally catching that hardly any body did escape its malignity it was called there the COKELVCHE And in regard there were very few Ladies at Court that had not particular inclinations for Iphigenes and that spake not of him in tearms of admiration a Wit of the Times called him the COKELVCHE of the Court. To this purpose a certain Lady said That to be in love with him was a thing indispensable Another answered a Gentleman that seemed to wonder at the so generall passions for this young Noble-man saying I believe you are either without Heart or Eyes Hee was the Rock where their minds suffered shipwrack few going with curiosity towards this Angelicall Object but returned with a wound or at least with some distemper How many young Ladies longed hee were their husband how many Fathers and Mothers desired him for their Son-in-law When it was known that Mieslas had already married him to Modestina what sorrow was exprest how many great and more advantageous matches were offred him which made the greedy Father oft repent his hastiness and he grew so proud to see his Son so well beloved and so highly esteemed that he swam in satisfaction And indeed hee that will fancy a most exquisite feminine beauty a delicate white complexion sweetly mixed with a lovely red lively and sparkling Eys hair like Silk and the rest of those attractions that accompany that perfection which an Antient called an agreeable Tyranny and all this at the age of fifteen or sixteen years under a man's habit who cannot have so little beauty but 't is much for that Sex will find nothing strange of all that hath been said Oh! how could I extend this History if I should ingage my Pen to the recitall of the several evenements that befell him upon this Account That specious form which seemed to have been given him expressly to ruinate the pudicity of the most determinate and severe preservers of their honour how many assaults and strange attempts did it make him suffer from those Ladies that thought him of a contrary Sex But I fear in publishing the impudence of those shameless Souls to call the bashfull blood into more modest Faces who cannot endure any thing I will not say of Dishonesty for I should disclaim my Pen if it were tainted with any impure Relation but only tending to wantonness The Wits of the Court whose invention is very pregnant in such occurrences know already more then I am able to imagine others that are more simple shall remain by my consent in the commendable ignorance of such malicious practices Whilest these inconsiderate Lovers try in vain to draw into their Nets him who hath caught their Hearts and who takes pleasure in seeing them burn like Flies at the Fire of his eyes Hee doth like those Engineers who cast their artificiall fires all about without receiving any dammage in their own persons or like those Fountaineers who shewing curious Water-works and Grotta's where a thousand little Pipes cast water on every side set themselves in some known place where they remain dry whilst every one else is wetted to the skin And as the secure Shepheards standing to feed their flocks upon some eminent Hills neer the Sea-side behold from those firm and solid heights the tossing and agitation of Ships beaten with stormy weather So did Hee contemplate in the weakness of those spirits so passionately enamored of him the imbecillity of a Sex which bred in him rather Pity than Envy and Compassion rather than Love It was not on that side that Hee feared being surprised his naturall impotency rendring him most potent to resist all those temptations On the other side the attractive graces display'd in the countenances of so many brave Cavaliers wherewith the Court was as glittering as the Heaven is with Stars in a cleer night moved him as little An honorable desire of glory and the preservation of his chastity being a powerfull bridle against the assaults and surprises of the Sense besides that his heart was so prepossest with love for Liante that there was no room left to place any other Object Moreover his humor was so averse to vice and riotous deboshing which hee saw was the continuall practice of dissolute companions that their excesses made him rather shun than follow them rather abhor the lewdness of their deportments than fancy the handsomness of their persons pitying rather than envying their conditions whereas on the contrary his vertue and handsomness were more envyed than pitied by them Yea for as the Cantharides those stinking and venemous Flies do not settle but upon the most delicate Flowers So those young Courtiers were grown mischievously jealous because this new comer with his eminent beauty accompanied with sweet
Tears are cast such speaking looks Yet all these artificiall affectations were Vainly employed by this Princess to conquer or inveagle Iphigenes whose Heart was no less susceptible of these flames than his Body was capable of those legititimate Embraces to which shee did aspire However Iphigenes did very much esteem her person but it was in that manner as hee could and ought not as shee desired This cautelous Student in Love's Politicks had learned particularly by Mieslas the depth of whose thoughts shee had sounded by her sugred speeches that the marriage of Iphigenes with Modestina was not consummated Whereupon shee contrived a Plot that will make appear the subtilty of a Wit refined by that Passion which puts Invention into the simplest and most blockish brains Shee who had a conceit that Marriage consisted only in the use of the Bodies never considering that the Union of the Hearts and the consentment of the Wills are the materialls whereof if formed the Essence of Matrimony flattered her self that shee should easily disannull or untie that knot betwixt Iphigenes and Modestina and put her self in Modestina's place But fearing lest a repulse should make her the fable of the Court and expose her to the people's scorn shee thought best to bring her Daughter into play and propose her to Mieslas for Iphigenes with such advantages as were neither in the Fortune nor person of Modestina This Daughter of her's named Simphoroza was yet very young but did promise in the Aurora of her age great perfections of Beauty at her Noon The Palatine of Podolia who devoured in his greedy thoughts all those high proffers of the Princess Respicia believing that Rosuald's Estate would however be intirely his own by making Liante imbrace an Ecclesiastick life and giving some slight Dowry to Modestina was easily induced to hearken to her propositions considering besides the great fortune shee promised to make her Daughter the splendor of so Noble an Allaince But this cunning Mother ' s designe was only to substitute her self in her Daughter ' s place who was yet nothing neer Marriageable and to supply with the luster of her Gold and immense Estate what shee wanted in Beauty or was superabundant in Years Thus the Father was gained which seemed no small advancement to our Pretendant ' s intentions every one being apt to believe easily what they do desire But the difficulty ws in obteining the Son's consent who being advertised of this Design by Mieslas and knowing in his Soule that hee was no less unfit to bee Simphoreza's Husband than Modestina's not to multiply his deceipts rejected the propositions feining scruples of Conscience much passion for his wife and giving Mieslas to understand that hee had proceeded further in the terms of Marriage with Modestina then hee imagined The rigorous Podolian who had in a manner ingaged his word to the Princess thinking to finde more obedience in his Son's spirit was ready to burst into a furious fit of Choller at this resistance but considering that Iphigenes by his favour had all the power with the King hee reteined the impetuosity of his passion giving testimony enough however of his displeasure by the alterations of his Countenance Notwithstanding this refusall Respicia gave not over her pursuite feining like a good Mother to bee passionate for the advancement of her Children for whom shee could procure nothing more advantageus than the Alliance with Favour mean time it was her own interest made her act with so much solicitude According to the nature of her Sexe which never ceaseth asking untill they atchieve their end shee prayed pursued pressed in time out of time leaving no means unattempted and it was partly her perswasion that made the Prince Cassin her Son render such devoirs to Iphigenes which made him worthy of his friendship wherein hee succeeded as is already mentioned Thus did this crafty Spider spread her Web to insnare the beautifull Adolescent and make her self wife to him of whom shee might have been the Mother Shee had such a hand over Cassin that this young Prince at her instance used all the arguments his Invention could suggest to induce Iphigenes to marry his Sister to whom for quality Modestina was not comparable But Iphigenes had the skill to divert his discourse with such modesty and dexterity that without giving him any occasion of distast hee amused his expectation and by little and little made him relinquish that thought which hee esteemed unjust It is an opinion that Batteries made Crosse-wise are the most destructive Respicia raised her's in this manner and as if shee had been desirous to sink all her house which was one of the most opulent of Polonia into the family of Mieslas shee offered him to give her Dauther to his Son and her Son to his Daugher Clemencia and so make but one of both their Families which the Palatine dazled at the splendour of so much honour imbraced with both hands not perceiving the hook that was hidden under this bait Mean time Respicia covered so dexterously her Love under the mask of Ambition that whilest shee was called a carefull and loving Mother shee aymed at another Mark. Her importunities together with the oppressing instances of Mieslas did shrewdly tempt the patience of Iphigenes who against all these assaults had no other defence than the rampier of the Fidelity which hee owed which hee had sworn to his wife Modestina to whom being pressed with these agonies Hee wrote such passionate letters that the most affectionate of Lovers could not express his imaginations in a style more Patheticall Which kindled such a fire in the bowels of this Maiden Spouse that the too much sense of Love deprived her of all sense You may add to that Love the Fear which is insepirable from those who fervently do affect and the Apprehension of losing by Change that which is more pretious than Life For shee knew by the mouth of Fame which hath a thousand tongues and by letters from Iphigenes own hand that hee was the common object of the Eyes and Hearts of all the Court Ladies which bred a torment in her Miad inconceivable by any Soul that hath not experimented the just and incomparable affections that possess'd her heart A thousand times shee was in the mind to go to Court to her Husband and say to all her Rivalls What do you hee is intirely mine as I am solely his Your pretensions are too unjust to find any access into his brest who is nothing but Fidelity who feeds amongst the Lillies of Purity and the Roses of Honour Your attractions are too slight to move so constant a Spirit Your Passions bee they fein'd or reall are but weak Vapours before the Sun of his Reason Why then with too licentious a desire do you indeavour to purloin a treasure that belongs peculiarly to mee withdraw your fond affections banish those no less Vain than unanswerable pretensions from your thoughts for Iphigenes hath ingaged his
Marriage was made before the time that the consentment of the parties at such tender years could bee but imperfect and therefore hee held it as nothing that the face of things being changed hee did revoke the consent which hee had given to that Contract having since ingaged his word to the Princess Respicia Then being further importuned to set Modestina at liberty hee threatned his Son with fearfull maledictions if ever hee took her as his Wife Hereupon Iphigenes handsomely feining Scruples of Conscience seemed to apprehend lest his Father ' s curses should light upon his Posterity and absolutely ruine his Fortune which already was shrewdly shaken Insomuch that Mieslas perceiving that this battery made breach in Iphigenes Soul mounted no other Artillery and employed no other Thunderbolts to reduce all his indeavours unto ashes In the heat of these contestations arrived the Princess Respicia bringing her Daughter Simphoroza whose age being yet too neer Infancy was incapable for certain years of bearing Hymen's yoke At her coming as at the appearance of Porposes a Tempest is observed to follow Mieslas began again to storm and torment Iphigenes to marry Simphoroza Hee alleadged for excuse his Faith given to Modestina that whom God hath joyned men could not separate that nothing but death should break the Bands that united his heart to her's besides hee would have perswaded them that hee had in a manner passed to a perfect Consummation and that shee was not only his wife by words but in effect But this was contradicted by Perpetua and Modestina her self whose innocent deposition declared that shee never knew what Man was Respicia knowing that as in Naturall things the Corruption of the one is the Generation of another So in affairs the Rupture of one is the Accomplishment of another urged nothing so eagerly as the Dissolution of this first Marriage The Fourth Book ARGUMENT The Result of the Divine's Consultation concerning the dissolution of the Marriage betwixt Iphigenes and Modestina The Court-Maxime Iphigenes object 's the same Reason for not marrying Simphoroza as was alleadged by the Casuists against Modestina Simphoroza being excepted against for her too tender years Mieslas by Respicia's instigation propounds the Mother in the Daughter's place Iphigenes's answer to his Father Clemencia refuses to marry Cassin The fury of Mieslas for her Obstinacy Cassin having left Podolia discontented indeavour's all hee can at Court to hinder his Mother's marriage with Iphigenes Liante being escaped out of his Prison by means of his dear Brother-in-law Iphigenes is secretly conveyed into his Palatinate Iphigenes retiring to his own Government leaves Aretuza as full of satisfaction as Mieslas of Perplexity for the Crosseness of his Children Respicia accompanyed by Mieslas returns with small contentment to the Court Liante being arrived in the Palatinate of Plocens disguises himselfe in a Sheepheardesse's habit under the name of Almeria Iphigenes loseth his company in Hunting to meet with his Almeria Their Discourse The Reason why Liante made use of that Disguise Merinda Daughter to Celian in whose House Liante concealed himself fall's in Love with the feined Sheepheardess Shee discover's her affection to him The Character of Courtiers and Countrey-People THere are in the World certain Divines à la mode who can adapt the Scripture and the Fathers of the Church so dexterously to their own Fantasies and to the palates of those that consult them and whose passions they desire to flatter that they fashion that Water of saving Wisdom to the form of the Vessell which receive ' s it planting the Canons of the Church against such opinions as they list and Levelling them in such sort as they Demolish Edifie root up and set as they think fitting Like Pilots who direct their Rudders in a strait and Oblique line according to the Motion of the Waves that agitate their Ships Iphigenes to whom all women were indifferent for the reasons already declared making no other Intrenchment than within the Fort of his Conscience had that scruple cleared by a Consultation of Church-men appointed by Respicia and Mieslas The result whereof was That in regard the Infantine age of the parties Contracted being added to some kind of force used by the Contracter Mieslas rendred their consentment invalide since the use of Bodies had not intervened they esteemed that Obligation voyd and that without offence they might proceed to another Marriage not considering that as Contracts made by persons in Minority do become valid when they do ratifie them in their Majority whereby an imperfect Consentment is made perfect and of full force when at an age more mature and capable of approving it It is confirmed and renewed by mutuall promises which had held undeniably in this case if Iphigenes had been of a condition to take a wife for as much as by divers letters written to Modestina and received from her they had made a thousand and a thousand Oaths to each other of an inviolable Fidelity But this Maxime is so strongly established at Court the Powers above Laugh at the Oaths pronounc'd in heat of Love that when Iphigenes alledged Protestations beyond number both verball and under his hand which hee had made to Modestina never to have any other wife but her they scoffed at his words and letters as if they had been engraven on the Wind and written on the Water But they were to seek what to reply when to their confusion their decision rebounded in their own faces For Iphigenes readily presented to them that Simphoroza was of years not only incapable to consummate the marriage but to give a full and perfect consent without which according to their own argument that knot could not be rendred indissoluble Hereupon the Princess Respicia made appear the subtility of her wit feigning what shee desired with impatience to Subrogate her self in the place of her Daugher This shee intimated to Mieslas with so much Artifice and such Prodigious advantages for Iphigenes for the most part of the Estate came by her that the Palatine of Podolia naturally desirous of wealth to maintein his excessive expences was presently induced to hearken to her perswasions On that side the business was as soon concluded as propounded but they foresaw much difficulty to make the young Gentleman bite at this Golden Bait for his own Estate was so plentifull and his Honours so great that how vast soever the Fortune of Respicia could bee and how illustrious her Alliance if the Appast which youthly Palates do relish with most greediness composed of Beauty and Pleasure were wanting it must needs bee imagined that hee would not easily be drawn into that Marriage as unequall for years on the one side as on the other For as Simphoroza was too young and her tender Beauty being not yet full blown did promise no great matter in the Bud So her Mother was too old though not so aged as to bee rejected for ugly nor so young as to bee rank'd amongst the Beautifull Shee
was in that Point as Women begin to leave the Attribute of Fair to enter into the Predicament of Good But beeing very Artificiall shee had the Industry without discovering that shee Painted advantageously to repair the dammages which Age had done to her Presence and doting upon her own Perfections Shee gave such credit to the false Reports of her Looking Glass that shee fancied her self to bee the most lovely Creature breathing IPHIGENES making a Buckler against his Father's Importunities of the Child-hood of Simphoroza Mieslas said unto him And if I find you another Match Richer than shee and of mature Age will you accept of her Hereupon Iphigenes to whom all Women were alike for anything hee had to do with them to counterfeit the obedient Son declaring out of Compliment That hee had no other Will then his so that hee would please to give him time to know before hee Loved there beeing nothing in the World so hard to do by Force or in respect of Duty as to Love Mieslas ravished with this Act of Obedience after acknowledgement of the Immortall Obligations Hee would do him if hee would leave Modestina to marry one of the noblest and most opulent Ladies of Polonia beeing lessoned before hand by the subtile Respicia proposed by a thousand crafty circumlocutions the Mother in stead of the Daughter and setting out her Beauty like flattering Painters with the Pensill of his Tongue and magnifying her Riches with the Eloquence of a mouth of Gold hee indeavoured to provoke Iphigenes appetite to relish that stale Fruit and make him take a commodity that was not for his utterance A modest blush covering his delicate Cheeks at the recitall of this Proposition What sayd Mieslas you do like those foolishly nice Virgins that are dasht out of Countenance when one speake's to them of a Husband Indeed your Enviers at Court were mistaken in the tearm when they called you Effeminate since you make so little account of Women as to blush with shame when they are but mentioned Truly Sir replyed IPHIGENES the Bloud rising faster in his Face because his Father had taken notice of that Girlish Action me think's as that Ancient who would not be perswaded to marry answered those that urged him thereunto in his youth that it was yet too son and in his old Age that it was then too late I may freely say that as it is not yet time for the Daughter to dream of Marrying so it is more than time that the Mother should leave such thoughts the one is too young the other too far advanced in years for the word Old is injurious to that Sex and both of them if I have any Judgement are very unfit for mee I have Riches and Honours more than I need beeing by favour of Fate begotten by you the alliance of a Wife can adde nothing to the nobleness of my Extraction nor of my Posterity In Marriage is required not onely an augmentation of Fortune but the equality of Age and Humours This Discourse so displeased the arrogant Mieslas who invoking Heaven and Earth against his Son loaded his Rebellion with Imprecations and fulminated a thousand execrable curses against his Disobedience Iphigenes feigning to be affraid of those Threats and terrible Thunder-claps of his Father's wrath beseeched him to pardon him if hee had declared his sense so plainly knowing that the first Ideas are generally but little Judicious and how the first Motions are not in our Powers That Reason did oblige him to acknowledge the Beauty Nobleness and Eminent advantages of the Princess Respicia but that the Sense surprising for the most part the Judgement it arrives oft-times that upon second thoughts wee desire with ardour what at the first we too inconsideratly rejected That He knew Matrimony to be so sage a Bargain that therein was not to bee given so much access to Appetite as to Prudence That great Personages ought to hearken thereunto more out of Maxim of State than for the consideration of Flesh and Blood and that hee did desire onely some time to reflect seriously thereupon and give his resolution This satisfaction being speedily applied to the wound in Mieslas his cholerick brest took away all the pain and inflamation in a moment When Iphigenes had the full liberty of his thoughts I give you leave to Judge what his Imaginations were of Respicia's Designs all whose deportments repassing through his Memory hee easily gathered by her former Discourses to him at the Court that beeing inamored of the Beauty which appeared in his Face shee had disguised her own Pretences under the Marriages of her Son and Daughter and then making reflection further upon the weakness of a Sex accompanied with such cunning Plots hee regretted that Nature having indued his Mind with such a Masculine Courage had ranked his Body in so miserable a Condition At last resolving never to deceive any other Woman than Modestina and in regard if hee married Respicia his Secret would soon bee divulged hee thought it most conducing to his purpose to thrust back Time by the Shoulders and amuse her with delayes This Design hee imparted to Aretuza who much approved his ingenuity and you may guess if knowing as they did the truth of Iphigenes Disguisement they had not occasion enough to make their Pastime of the Princesse's Pain Who being full of Vanity seeing her self Courted by Iphigenes with some little shew of Passion conceited presently that Basilisk like shee had wounded him in the Eyes which Opinion transported her into follies more extravagant than can been imagined But I will leave them at the end of my Pen not to verifie this saying of a certain Author That there is nothing more ridiculous than a decrepite Souldier and an aged Lover Mean time Iphigenes protracted the determination of his resolution having his brains more troubled about procuring the liberty of his dear Liante To demand that grace of his Father upon the nick of Clemencia's Marriage to the Prince Cassin were to put him quite off the hooks besides to break that affection between his Sister and that beloved Brother-in-Law hee thought it materiall first to let that Alliance betwixt the Prince and her bee fully concluded wherein Mieslas did labour all hee could Wee have already said that Clemencia injoyed not so much outward Beauty as inward Vertue and that if Liante had any Inclination for Her it was because Obliged by her Affection Cordiality to him But Cassin who had seen so many objects at Court more worthy to stay his thoughts did look upon her meerly to please his Mother and to satisfie the ambitious Desire Hee had of raising himself to high Commands by the support and favour of Iphigenes who beeing then retired from the Court which is the Country of Occasions and the Field where Dignities are reaped this made the Prince more cold in his pursuit Nevertheless having imbarked himself in that Voyage and being advanced to offers of Service to Her and
testimony of his inward fire For sometimes hee confessed himself filled with vain illusions and to avoid a prejudiciall censure in satisfying his Passion he protested that hee would remain to the last Breath a friend to Iphis and Servant to the incomparable Serife The Eighth Book ARGUMENT Arcade is sent back to Plocens by Serife Pomeran and his Companions attend on Serife whilest Boleslaus advanceth to prepare Celian and his Daughters to receive Her Serife's feined Relation of Herself to deceive the Shepherdesses Their indeavours to appease Her Counterfeited Grief Calliante with his Assistants returns from seeking Almirea Their amazement at Serife's admirable Beauty Calliante's and Serife's moanfull Contention to out-vie each other in Misfortunes Her swounding at his feined Bravadoes against Iphis. Calliante's seeming Anger against Almeria and Iphis is appeased by Serife's conjuring Speeches The Amorous and ambiguous discourse betwixt Calliante and Serife to puzzle the hearer's Thoughts Serife seeming at length to bee overcome by his Courtship make 's shew of requiting the inconstancy of Iphis by Answering Calliante's feined Flames THe perplexity of Boleslaüs was no less than Serife's apprehension lest what she had so long and so seriously concealed should now be unadvisedly revealed to the ruine of her Fortune perchance of her Honour At length it was concluded that the Design should still continue to deceive the Country-People to make themselves some Pastime with their Simplicity To this effect lest Arcade by his indiscretion should give occasion of any suspicion likewise to the Rusticks Serife sent him back to Plocens incharging him not to mention any thing of those Divertisements which shee would have buried in the silence and solitude of the Woods That done they repaired towards Celian's House whither Boleslaüs advanced a little before the rest to see if Calliante with his attendants were returned from their Inquest But hee found only the old Man accompanyed with his Daughters deploring the loss of his profit more than the absence of the two Lovers who hee imagined had lost themselves on purpose to finde a more free possession of each other Some questions being past Boleslaüs told him that hee had other news for him which was That the Wife of Iphis being transported with Jealousie was come into those Woods to seek him where shee had been informed hee spent his time in the Embraces of Almeria and that his Companions who had by chance met with her had sent him before to know if hee would bee willing to receive her in his house shee being a Lady of quality that had fufficiently where withall to recompence his services and Courtesie to her That hope of Gaine was the onely Shaft hee could have shot to hit the pretensions of that greedy Churle His Ears and his Dores were presently opened at the sound of that Silver Bell. And whilest they were upon these terms arrived the other three leading the beautifull Serife as it were in Triumph upon a handsome Nag whose Furniture was correspondent to the Richness of her Apparrell That rare Beauty wherewith Nature had Favored her being increased by the Luster of those pretious Garments so dazled the weak sights of Belida Merinda and Remonda that they did not onely forget the Graces of Almeria but lost the remembrance of the countenance of Iphis. So certain it is that Cloathes do set off people in such sort that they seem in a manner Metamorphosed Celian looked no further than her Hands and Neck whither his Eyes were invited by the sparkling of some rich Rings and a Carcanet of pretious Stones which hee already swallowed in his Fancy Every one's attentions were divertised according to their different inclinations the Courtiers admired the Beauty of Serife the Shepherdesses the Magnificence and their old Father the Richness This feined Syrene being received if not according to her merit however in the best manner that Cottage could afford renewed the deceipt which shee had so artificially begun in the Forest and possessed those simple People who devoured her words by Mouth-fulls with what belief shee listed telling them That shee was Legitimate Spouse to Iphis and indeed they were but one and the same Flesh their Conjunction being not onely Vnion but Vnity That shee had sought that Perfidious and Ingratefull Man both by Land and Sea That Hee had Traiterously abandoned her to Despair forsaking her to follow an Idle Creature who being little beholding to Nature for Beauty had doubtless bewitched her Husband by some Magicall Charms And yet said shee I love him notwithstanding his Disloyalty as dearly as my self and if you please to measure his Malice by my Innocency I am in some kinde culpable of my own misfortune for I am the Cause that my Rivall doth intirely possess Iphis. All this discourse which had a double meaning was throughly understood by none but Boleslaüs who could not sufficiently admire the dexterity of his dear Foster-child who the better to cover her Deceipt drawing a Chain of Sighs from the bottome of her Heart and drowning her Cheeks with Tears moved not only the Daughters but Celian himself to Compassion and bred Astonishment in the Courtiers to see her subtility in representing so to the life a Sorrow which they thought was feined But those Sighs Tears proceeded from but too reall a Source of Passion so that the Deceipt held good on all sides And it being a curiosity as Blameless as Naturall to inquire into the Disasters of Afflicted persons to remedy them if it bee in our power or at least to pitty the sufferers if wee cannot help them the Shepherdesses who desired no less to learn some particulars concerning Iphis and Almeria than to hear the Ladie 's Story beseeched her to give them the relation of her Afflictions assuring her of their Fidelity and promising in exchange to tell her what they knew concerning those two Persons whom Passion had rendred extravagant Then Serife after the manner of Musicians having made her self bee somewhat intreated disposing them by that appetite the more easily to believe her Inventions thus began Iphis and I were Married so yong that wee could hardly know what 't was to Love I was Ward to his Father who to draw my Estate into his Family of a Guardian become Master of all made me Marry his Son If there was any force on Iphis part I know not but in mee I am sure there was no Constraint for I do not remember that ever I saw him without having some inclination for him From the Cradle almost wee were brought up together during our Childhood wee loved like Children and our Affections increasing with our years I loved him afterwards as my brother but I must confesse after I was permitted to hope to injoy him as a Husband I began to cherish him with a Love more ardent and delicate At length we were united by the bonds of Hymen but alas that was only in words for the use of our bodies was forbidden by his Father who in
about to give them the swing Boleslaüs and the other Gentlemen cast themselves at the Palatine's feet to beg their Lives of which Apprehension had almost bereaved them already Then came the deplorable Celian watering his hoary-Beard with tears and prostrating himself before Iphigenes beseeched him by all that was most sacred in Heaven and on Earth not to deprive him of all his children at once and quite extinguish those sparks by whom hee hoped to revive in his Posterity This supplication was seconded with the lamentable cries of the three Searchers who were tied to their severall Gibets like the rest the image of Death painted on their Faces and which danced before their Eyes touched with some compassion those who were the day before so eager for revenge deriving all the fault upon the Judge who escaped very narrowly beeing sacrificed to Example and having been as the Hebrew 's Emissary Goat loaden with the Faults and Maledictions of all the People But in stead of perishing for the rest hee had his grace as well as they a disgracefull grace yet just and full of equity For if their lives were given them it was to prolong it by a condition which those that are happy in a Country and who love their native soile would esteem worse than Death It was Banishment which was so dreadfull to the Romans that they thought it was to die to live out of Rome 'T is true that with poor People it is as with those that are extreamly generous to whom every Land is their Country as the Air and Water are the Elements of Birds and Fishes But before the pronouncing of this sentence which could not but bee sweet to those that were recalled from the Sepulcher It was decreed to spare the pains of fetching Surgeons presently to let blood those People whom the fear of Death had cast into a violent Feaver to recommend them to the discretion or rather indiscretion of the Souldiers who to save rods laced their shoulders so well with their stirrop-leathers that they made them swim in their own blood which was inflamed with the Wine they drank some dayes before in so great abundance And the three Shepherdesses deputed for that search had their share of this whipping cheer After this blooding six Souldiers were appointed to conduct them forthwith to Danzic to bee imbarked and transported thence into Moscovia a Country more rude and barbarous than Sarmatia there to continue to perpetuity under pain of beeing Hanged if ever they returned Where they remained untill Iphigenes's re-establishment at Court who then considering that they were sufficiently punished sent them his Grace and permitted them to repossess their former Habitations The Tenth Book ARGUMENT Iphigenes to prevent the malicious Practices of Mieslas against Liante causes him to bee secured in a strong Castle in his Palatinate Hee returns to Plocens to meet his Father Mieslas Their Salutations and Speeches concerning Liante and Almeria Mieslas perswades Iphigenes to give the Princess Respicia a visit Her imaginary contentment at his seeming Professions of Affection Iphigenes beeing with his Father and the Princess is sent for by Menochius in a Ladie 's habit who gives him an account of Modestina's escape out of Prison and her beeing taken in Man's Cloaths for Liante by Mieslas servants Iphigenes perplexed at this Relation consults with Boleslaus how to demean himself His sage advice to satisfie Iphigenes Hee undertakes in person to inform Liante of what had passed at Plocens The affront offered to Modestina by the barbarous instruments of Mieslas cruelty against Liante is related to Mieslas in his Son's presence The just resentments of Iphigenes for that indignity done to his Wife and his resolute Speeches to his Father concerning Her and Liante The furious Mieslas severe Replies Iphigenes's reserved carriage towards the Princess Respicia after this passionate Conference with Mieslas Her Amorous Complaints Liante relates his Dream to Boleslaus He applies the circumstances of that Dream to the transfiguration and Disaster of Modestina Liante upon this assurance of Maieslas's barbarismo without acquainting him or any else with his Design steals privately out of the Castle Mieslas having learnt where Iphigenes had concealed his feined Shepherdess marches with a strong Party of Horse thither in the Night beeing entered under the Name of Iphigenes hee commands his Men to leave no corner unsearcht for Almeria Next Morning early Iphigenes with a more considerable strength hasts after his Father Meets him coming forth of the Castle Passion perswades Iphigenes to charge him Boleslaus disswades it The blustering words betwixt the Father and Son at this Incounter After some Dispute they returne to Plocens Mieslas much displeased at his Son retires himself to his own Palatinate the Princess Respicia to the Court Shee causes a complaining Letter to be left upon the Table in Iphigenes Chamber Hee slights her Torments but is much perplexed for the loss of Liante Liante's Letter to Iphigenes The Grand Duke of Lithuania commonly Elected to the Crown of Polonia The Reason of the Lithuanians Rebellion against their Prince Liante is received and honourably treated by the Palatines of Troc and Minsce chief Commanders of the revolted Party Iphigenes's resentment for Liante's siding with the Rebells The King prepares a great Army to suppress them Mieslas returnes to Court is made Lieutenant Generall The Princess Respicia procures Iphigenes to be repealed from Banishment lest he should ingage in the Warrs His answer to the King's Letter inviting him to the Court. Tho Substance of Modestina's Letter to Iphigenes and of his Answer Iphigenes raises a considerable Party of Horse for the present Service meets his Father at the Rendez vous The Royall Army besiges Minsce the Rebells chief City A description of the Palatine of Minsce's two Daughters Oloria and Amiclea Liante falls in Love with Amiclea Oloria with Him Liante sends a Challenge to any of the Royall Party Is incountred by Iphigenes both unknown After some dispute Liante is worsted The Gallantry and Courtesie of Iphigenes to his Enemy before hee knew him to be Liante Their Deportments and Speeches after this Discovery Mieslas's rage against his Son for sparing Liante's Life Mieslas beggs of the King the confiscation of Liante's Estate pretending he was in actuall Rebellion Liante sends Mieslas a Challenge Iphigenes is second to his Father and Polemander to Liante Iphigenes unhorses Polemander and Liante had killed Mieslas had not Iphigenes rescued him The Lithuanian's Reception of Liante after this Victory Olavius designes his Daughter Oloria for Liante Shee discovers her Passion to Him Hee rejects her and becomes more inflamed for Amiclea THe Peasants having thus payed for their insolence the Palatine accompanied by those Gentlemen and his Guards repaired towards Plocens to meet his Father And in regard hee could not conceive who should bee that miserable Creature whom Mieslas had taken for Liante and had commanded to bee so ill-treated not to expose that innocent Nobleman to
black the Lambs of his flock to inrich himself in Laban's service But though he gave them such coloured Coats as hee pleased by vertue of his wands it was not in his power to make them of what Sex hee listed The discreet Aretuza so shall Mieslas his Wife be called might have returned the same answer to her barbarous and unreasonable Husband as Isaac did to the extravagant demand of his Wife But that Mieslas was not to bee answered but by suffering and silence otherwise hee would hvae raged like one of those Earthquakes which overturn every thing that opposes their turbulencie And that which agravated the distemper of his mind was not onely that he had none but Daughters but what was worse and less supportable in that Sex whose Element is Beauty or at least a gracefull comliness which proceed's from a just and handsome composition they brought into the World with them such remarkable imperfections and such monstrous deformities that they could not appear in publique without making the Parents blush that had begotten them The eldest was crump-shoulder'd and wrie-neck'd the second was hip-shotten and halted with both leggs the third as somewhat handsomer in Body was more ugly in face than either the fourth which was born at his first comming to that Palatinate was not onely hulch-back't and squint-ey'd but had one legg a great deal shorter then the other which made her gate no less unseemly then painfull These spectacles were so odious to the haught-spirited Mieslas that had hee lived in that cruell Philosopher's dayes and followed his maxims hee would have deprived those wretched creatures of the life which hee had given them for in his heart hee had no kinde of fatherly tenderness towards them but considered and abhorred them as Monsters that seemed to reproach the most secret defects within himself and cast confusion in his Face theatning him by their ill favoured aspect with some malediction To repeat the reviling tearms wherewith hee abused the innocence of his Wife and the insolent threats wherewith hee terrified her timidity if ever she should bear him any more such Children is far from my designe neither will my time permit it Somtimes hee swore hee would repudiate her Somtimes that hee would kill her as a Source and Mother of Monsters Sometimes hee upbraided her with faults whereof hee knew in his own conscience she was not guilty Somtimes he tormented her with disdainfull slightings Sometimes hee would banish her his presence and confine her to the Country Sometimes keep her close prisoner To be short there was no kind of discontent but hee made her feele her share of it either Passion had so blinded his Reason that hee could not see his own absurdity or els out of pure Malice hee had a designe to make her through dispair cast her self into the Sepulcher Notwithstanding all this ill usage shee grew with Child again which Mieslas perceiving hee protested if she brought him forth not onely an ill-favoured Daughter but any Daughter that hee would sacrifice to his indignation both her and her fruit and this hee sealed with such execrable oaths and in so passionate a manner that there was no doubt to be made but his Tongue spake out of the abundance of his heart and the setledness of his resolution You may imagine in what a trance fell poor Aretuza seeing her self condemned to Death for a thing uncertain and which she was no way able to remedie Piety made her resign her self totally to God's will submit to the inviolable decree of his Providence knowing that those who put their trust in him never are confounded Nevertheless fearing to tempt him she omitted not the means of humane Prudence God making use oft-times of these second Causes to arrive unto that whereto he disposeth both thoughts and actions by an incomparable sweetness Among the gentlewomen that attended her she had one after the manner of great persons that was her particular Favorite and Confident and although her sweet disposition begat her the affection of them all and that they compassionated exceedingly her miserie yet knowing too well the imbecillity of her Sex for matter of keeping Secrets she thought it the safest way not to raveale her's to any more than one lest it being disclosed shee should lose the benefit and contentment shee promised her self You may understand already that it was to change her Child in case shee were brought to bed of a girle Cleorite her Trustee took the business upon her and having found out severall Women that were to lie down about the time of her Mistresse's account she blinded them with that powerfull powder of Gold which dazles all the World and makes people undertake any thing What then The Heavens favorising the design of this innocent Lady gave birth to an earnest occasion which drew Mieslas to Court even as the time drew neer of her deliverie Insomuch that being laid of a Daughter as beautifull as an Angell and whose gracefull sweetness might have moved to pitty the bowels of her Tyrannicall Father a Boy newly born was put in her place so cunningly that those to whom Mieslas has given charge to watch his wive's actions and give him a faithfull testimony of that particular were surprised and happily deceived To relate Mieslas his joy when this news was brought him were no easie matter If by an express command the King had not staid him at Court he would presently have gone to see his Son who adding to the quality of Male which he had so ardently desired a beautifull face with a well-shaped body rendred him no less satisfied than his former Daughters had given him discontent To the fortunate birth of this Daughter principall Subject of this merveillous Historie and who by her name gives it the Title of Iphigenes for reasons which shall be produced in their time succeeded the happiness and strangeness of her education which was thus The King relishing the humour and the counsells of Mieslas and considering that his wit and high courage were worthy of employment reteined him for the most part about his own person giving him besides some commands in his Arimes and he acquitted himselfe of all his Commissions with so much prudence fidelity and valour that besides the great reputation he had acquired he had purchased a vast estate but that his humour being excessively given to vanity which requires an expence beyond all reason what one hand saved the other spent the King's liberalitie not being sufficient to support his Prodigality insomuch as the Proverb saith it was but casting monie into a bottomless bag Sometimes he fished wealth at Court sometimes in his Government and every where he was observed to dissipate rather than dispose of what he had If he made any stay in his Palatinate he would so overcharge and exact upon his Subjects that the chief Castellains wrought with the King under hand in such sort that upon some pretence or other he was still sent
upon the lips from spreading its poyson upon the purest innocence Persons which are seated in the highest place upon the World's Theater are commonly the subjects of obloquies as the Butts and Blanks of Calumnie The King besides the merits of Mieslas and the remembrance of his former services saw joyned with a ravishing presence such remarkable vertues and perfections in his Son that as a just prudent and liberall Prince hee could do no less than shew the esteem hee made of so many rare qualities which rendred him the spectacle and marvell of his Court. And as this life is a perpetuall Game full of contrarieties and vicissitudes the disgrace and falling of one being the advantage and raising of another as in Heaven when some Stars rise upon the Horizon others at the same time set when some are seen others are hid it being impossible that all should appear to us at once So at the Court severall Favorites are incompatible they strive to thrust each other out of their Prince's affection This drew much envy and many quarrells upon the brave Iphigenes but in all these contestations Hee came off with such good success and signs of courage that as the files do polish and smooth the Iron by biting it and the waters of the Deluge did raise the Ark by falling upon it so these malicious oppositions did increase the value and reputation of Iphigenes Insomuch that the King whose solid Judgment was able perfectly to distinguish the Precious from the Vile and knew what extreme difference there was betwixt the Merit of that vertuous Gentleman and the Demerits of so many others of his age who lost themselves in gameing and deboistness did an act worthy of so great a Prince to seat his favour in so good a place withdrawing it from those who had not purchased his countenance by Desert but Art imitating those Women that paint who make borrowed and supposed Beauties be beloved in them rather than Naturall This transported with a desperate fury a yong Noble-man named Augustus Son to the Palatine of Vilne in Lithuania Hee having been bred Page to the King had found the means so to insinuate himself into His Majestie 's favour that hee had obteined a great Estate of his gift and a considerable charge in the Court whereby hee was become so haughty and insolent that his humor was insupportable Seeing then that Iphigenes entring into Grace was likely to cause his Ruine and that the King turning his Eyes from him and fixing them on this new Object hee should bee supplanted there was no sort of Bravado's and Treacheries that hee left unattempted to provoke the patience of our innocent Cavalier But his Discretion augmenting the Arrogance of the Lithuanian whose abuses drew one day some language from Iphigenes mouth which gave him to understand that hee feared his Biting no more than his Barking His frowns and threats lightning which presaged a tempest neer at hand were cause that the King interposing his Authority cut off this Contestation in the root by commanding Augustus to contein himself within the bounds of his devoir or quit the Court. This put him into an excessive rage judging by this Soverign Oracle which way the King's Heart inclin'd Envy which murthereth low spirits cruelly gnawed this Lithuanian's but because this vice is so ridiculous that it dares not shew it self hee bit his bridle in silence feeling his heart pierced with a thousand pricks to see that his Competitor high in the King's favour acquired every day new honours and that as when a pretious balsome is spilt the good odour of his reputation dilated it self into all parts Iphigenes was never mentioned but with tearms of high commendation as not seen without astonishment If his Face was the glory and delight of those Eyes that beheld him his Actions full of vertue and winning gracefulness purhcased him the quality so rare in this age not only of Irreprehensible but of the most accomplisht of Gentlemen Hereupon Envy who is sick at other men's well being made Augustus feel such torment in his mind as none of all those invented by the barbarous Tyrants mentioned in Histories could parallel A just Vice in the unjust hatred it bears to Vertue since it serves to torture him that gives it admittance into his soul But the mischief is that as the winds inclosed a long time within the bowells of the Earth at length burst out with horrible Eart quakes that dis-joyn the frame of nature So the furies of Envy suppress'd a good while with silence most commonly disclose themselves all at once by most tragicall successes In all honorable Exercises wherein yong Gentlemen use to shew their activity and skill Iphigenes always had the better There were no Rings but for his Courses so exactly could hee command his Horse and Lance At the tiltings his gracefull garb ravished all the spectators At dancings there were no Eyes but for him And as the King's bountry to him was very great his Expences Sumptuousness Liberality and Magnificence increased proportionably No body was so handsomly dressed so richly attired so well attended so well mounted so well accompanied as hee and all this with so much judgement that it rendred his pomp doubly admirable Hee was no Gamester at all neither was hee guilty of running into any unnecessary Excesses by which means hee was the abler to appear with the Nobler train Mieslas ravisht with the Vertues and prudent Conduct of his Son became more reserved and moderate in his expences imitating him as much as might be possible and although his credit was great with the King it was nothing in comparison of his Son 's For without entring into the quality of importunate being very circumspect in managing his Master's favour Hee alwayes received of the King more than hee demanded conteining himself within the compass of what hee might or ought to do if hee had been a greedy seeker of his own advantage But as the Shadow follows those that fly it so doth Prosperity those that look not after it In less than one year's time the King gave him a whole County with some Offices of Castellains and destined him also for a Palatinate assoon as Age had furnished him with Experience and Authority requisite If Fathers were susceptible of Jealousie against their Children Mieslas had reason enough to conceive some against his Son seeing the rarity of his beauty and discretion had thrust into his Hands in an instant a Fortune which his long services could not attain but it is not with her as with a Goale where those that run fastest come the soonest at it Hee was very glad to be surmounted in that by Iphignes after the custom of most Parents who desre nothing more than to see their Children higher and more advanced in the World than themselves The Queen a vertuous and wise Princess and who saw but with the King her Husband's Eyes could not but esteem him whom shee saw His Majesty so highly
Blinde and being an Enemy to Vertue since shee knew so worthily and so abundantly to acknowledge his Merit The greatest secret to gain Fortune is to be Just to abstein from Evill and do Good for it is with Justice as with Wisdom all sorts of felicity do attend her The same success doth not accompany those who by oblique and undirect wayes do seek to accomplish their pretensions in imitation of Ships who having but a bare quarter wind do laveer and turn severall wayes before they can arrive at their intended Port. The Princess Respicia being stung with that Wasp that rob's Minds of repose sollicited Mieslas without intermission to press Iphigenes to the rupture of his non consummated Marriage and become Spouse to her Daughter Simphoroza Which proposition jumped with the Father's disposition being equally greedy after her Wealth and Honour especially the Prince Cassin likewise promising to marry Clemencia As for this last Marriage Iphigenes's consent was easily obteined thereunto nay more hee desired it might be accomplished to draw that thorn out of his foot I mean that point of Jealousie which sticking at his Heart did cause him to fear lest Liante should bee so deeply ingaged in Clemencia's Love that Hee should not be able to conquer his inclinations when the time for his Revelation and Metamorphosis should be expired But for the other hee labored all hee could to hinder it alleadging his Faith given the Honour of his Word his Affection to Modestina and the Obligations hee had to the fervency of her Love whom hee would have them esteem as his Wife All this Mieslas after the manner of great Persons who use to make and unmake Marriages according to their Interests called Superstitious and frivolous Scruples telling his Son by way of reproach that hee was too Religious for a Courtier and too strict an observer of his word for a Favortie At least sayd hee Do not oppose the advancement of your Sister's Fortune by your too fond inclinations for Modestina whereupon Iphigenes sodainly replying promised That hee would contribute the utmost of his endeavours to further the Match between the Prince Cassin and his Sister Clementia and to that effect hee became a frequent Visiter of Respicia who did express such extraordinary kindness in her receptions that Iphigenes might easily have perceived the full scope of her thoughts and whereunto did tend those Nets which shee prepared for him For producing her Daughter before him rather loaden than deck't with Jewells besides her Youth being yet Infantine in a manner an Age that hath neither Beauty nor Ugliness her design was to induce him to make a Change and catch him in her own Trap by attracting his looks upon her self But Iphigenes being what hee was ran no danger of being intangled in such Snares this Bait and Line were not proper for that Fish Love how blind soever hee is esteemed hath Linxe's Eyes which penetrate to the very thoughts Stanislas Palatine of Vratislaü being a Widower in the strength of his Age and having no other issue than an onely Daughter had cast his Eyes upon the Princess Respicia as the Party of all the Court most suitable to his quality Shee through a vanity common to all Women who take a pride in seeing themselves Observed Courted and Adored admitted of his Visits and by a tacite consentment approved of his Suite in not rejecting it For yong Widdows that suffer Men to accost them that give ear to their offers of Service and their protestations of Fidelity do seem as Mistresses of their Motions to give these Suiters some hold upon their liberty or at least to foment a hope in them that their Vows shall not be displeasing This Noble-man holding Respicia for his Mistress was not well satisfied to see her visited by our Favorite whose glory dazled all the World and effaced the luster of the most Eminent persons But his displeasure was redoubled when hee perceived by Respicia's actions and countenance that shee participated of the Court-vertigo for this fair Podolian At last hee grew beyond all temper having intelligence of the Marriage which was projected betwixt the Prince Cassin and Clementia for hee Marrying the Mother intended to match his Daughter to her Son and by their double Alliance to draw the Princesse's vast estate into his own hands But when hee heard of the advantages that were offered to Iphigenes if hee would take to Wife the Princesse's Daughter Simphoroza this raised so furious a disorder in his Mind that hee believed the Favour would ruine all his pretentions if hee did not speedily rid his Hands of the Favorite Already Respicia had no more any Eyes to see him no Mouth to speak to him no reception for his Visits hee perceived nothing in her Actions but a cold Reservedness in her Countenance Disdain at his arrivall Sadness at his departure Joy apparent signs of his being in disgrace if hee prevent it not all his hoes are vanished Ambition kindled his Love Love suscitated Jealousie Jealousie hatched Despair and Despair precipitated him into such a rage as made him espouse the wickedest of resolutions to Sacrifice to his Revenge the Innocent blood of him who thought nothing less than to supplant him in the Princess Respicia's Favour The Third Book ARGUMENT The Combate betwixt Stanislas and Iphigenes Stanislas killed by Iphigenes The manner of his Death The Palatinate of Uratislau given by the King to Iphignes The Envy of the Courtiers and their plots against Iphigenes The King made jealous of the Queen Shee no lesS umbragious of him and both for Iphigenes Iphigenes by the King's command is difmiss'd the Court His generous deportment in this Disgrace Perpetua having discovered the intelligence betwixt Liante and Clemencia advertiseth Aretuza and Mieslas Liante made close Prisoner by express command from Mieslas Iphigenes obtein's leave of the King to pass through Podolia into his Palatinate under pretence of seeing his Mother and taking his Wife Modestina with him Mieslas having indeavored in vain to disswade him command's Modestina to be imprisoned and strictly garded in one of his strongest Castles The King 's and Queen's deportments when Iphigenes came to take leave of them His speches to them at his departure The manner of his retiring from the Court The Princess Respicia having followed him into Podolia presses Mieslas to make him repudiate Modestina in favour of her Daughter Simphoroza His Evasions ONe Day Stanislas attended by divers Gentlemen besides his ordinary Train on Horse-back after the Polonian manner met Iphigenes accompanied like a Favorite And it being in a publick place where the Noble-men used to take their pleasures Hee accosted him desiring that Hee might speak two or three words to him in private Iphigenes who for Courtesie had not his equall through the whole Universe presently left his company and being retired some little distance Stanislas said to him in a fierce arrogant manner That hee porceived hee had a design to establish a
employed all his Power and Rhetorick to disswade his Son from going into Podolia counselling him punctually to obey the King's command which was to retire into his own Palatinate of Vratislaü But his hopes were that hee beeing far distant from Modestina Time the great Worker of Oblivion might purge his Heart of that Passion and dispose him to the Nuptialls of Simphoroza But all his Intreaties all his Perswasions could not induce Iphigenes to change his Determination And although divers times according to his haughty humour hee would thuder out some imperious Language and express himself in tearms that witnessed his Displeasure yet hee durst not attribute too much to his Fatherly Authority his Son beeing according to the World as Great and in some respects Greater and Richer than himself But what did hee whether according to the dictates of his own Disposition as Cruell as Covetous or whether instigated by the suggestions of the crafty Princess Respicia to prevent the mischief which Hee apprehended Hee sent with all expedition a command to commit Modestina close Prisoner in another of his Castles but far stronger than where the afflicted Liante was to hinder his Son even to the extremity from enjoying that Wife which hee was resolved to take from him and place Simphoroza in her room under whose Infantine Countenance Respicia did hide her own full-grown desires It is a generall Maxime at Court as well as in War that a Man fails but once as Hee can fall but once that tumbles from an high precipice for at the first falling one 's sure to break his neck the Favour of Princes holding somewhat of the Nature of the bone in an Horse's Leg which being once broken can never bee well set again For Monarks do imagine that they never do any body wrong and that the most innocent are culpable if they conceive but the least suspition against them That if by evident proofs they are brought to acknowledge their unjust precipitation instead of repenting as if they were impeccable they perswade themselves although by a re-establishment they salve the sore of the offended party that the Cicatrice will yet remain which leaves a sense of the injury like that of the Goddess Juno irritated by the judgement of Paris who could never be reconciled But all these Axiomes were contradicted in this dismission of Iphigenes for never was any Disgrae more Gracious Disfavour more Favorable Misfortune more Fortunate nor Exilement more Gentle Oh! how highly would hee have obliged the King if Kings can be obliged whosoever could have devised some honorable expedient to retein Iphigenes But the Plot was contrived against him with such subtility that neither the King nor Queen though they had desired it knew which way to motion it For although they both perceived the innocence of Iphigenes as clearly as the Sun is to be seen at Noon-day if there had been no other proof than his leaving the Court with so little shew of disgust yet their Honours were equally ingaged to suffer his departure to remove the reciprocall umbrages of suspition wherein the malice of his Enemies had so cunningly involved them that the King knew not that the Queen had any Jealousie of him neither did Shee imagine that Hee had any diffidence of Her for neither of them made the least shew of any discontent their Tongues beeing as it were Inchanted with the charm of Calumny could not communicate the conceptions of their Hearts But when they considered that the Crown was in a manner falling from their heads Iphigenes the Soul or as I may say the Court of their Court beeing to take his leave they could not but resent the compunctions of sorrow for that separation however they swallowed that draught not so much to please their tastes as for their health since that Absence was to be the Medicine to cure their diseased Minds and serve as a Touch-stone to the Truth to discern Impostures Never wasy any departure so glorious as that of Iphigenes you would have said that hee went to put the Court into a Sepulcher and that it was the Funerall of the publick Joy if the Mourning appeared not in the apparrell it was in the People's Hearts which is far more essentiall The King himself when hee came to kiss his Hands discovered in his Countenance most evident signs of Sorrow not as repenting that hee had raised his Fortune but that hee had so discarded him And taking him aside he spent some time in Discourse guilding that Pill Sugring that Ruburb to make him swallow it with the less difficulty Telling him That hee must give way to the Torrent of Envy for fear it should ruine all that opposed its fury That it was a part of Wisdom to yeild rather than to withstand it That indeed hee had many Detractours but all their reports did make no more impression in his thoughts than a Stone in a running water Hee promised to recall him er'e long protesting That it grieved him to suffer him any time out of his presence however hee would have him think that it was not to disparage him but to authorize him the more giving him the means to purchase Credit and Esteem in his Government which might one day bee usefull for the service of his Crown That hee used him like a Father that send 's his Son to Academies in strange Countries to learn the Art of living in the School of the World and return with more knowledge Home Moreover in token of his reall Affection hee gave him as great Presents as ever hee had done formerly commanding his Treasurers to defray all the charges of his Journy and giving his Courtiers to understand that those who would accompany Iphigenes in Complement out of the City would do him a Pleasure and those that would attend him all the way would do a Service as acceptable as if rendred to his own Person To all this Iphigenes confounded with so many signall Favours could make no distinct answer yet the confusion of his Speech and the throbbing of his Heart with the colours of Vertue which rendred his Face more beautifull than that of Aurora when shee riseth under a serene Sky furnished him with a Discourse that surpassed the Eloquence of any Tongue whereunto if you add that moving and fluent Language which issueth out of the Eyes when bathed with Tears there is no charm in all the Art of Rhetorick can parallel this manner of Expression for 't is the Heart that speaks in bleeding through the Eyes What Iphigenes do you play the Woman Ha! Are you not afraid to bee discovered certainly Vlisses knew that Achilles under a Woman's habit was a Man by Tokens less evident At length Sighs Sobs having made way for Words hee thus replied Your Majesty looking on mee as a Creature of your own making would be sorry to undoe that work of your Hands therefore you are pleased to surcharge me with so many Favours and heap such multitudes of
said Iphigenes so that Liante be free You may well think said Boleslaus in his Ear if Almeria be not taken that Liante is safe enough For they go both one way and under the same Cloaths But when hee advanced towards Mieslas that meeting of the Father and the Son was like to the opposition of the Planets of Mars and Saturn whose Aspects dart none but maligne influences Mieslas taking occasion to speak first said to his Son I think this is an inchanted Castle for the People answer all by contraries I asked for your Diana and they toldmee that Liante was no longer there hath your Bother-in-law been in this place then Sir replied Iphigenes angerly are you come hither to search shew what Commission you have from the King to that purpose otherwise give mee leave to tell you as Palatine of this Country that you have nothing to do to seek either of them here But if I had found either of them said Mieslas I should have made them knew what my Power is and all your strength would have been too weak to have taken them out of my hands As beeing my Father answered Iphigenes you have priviledge to use these tearms But there 's none else breathing upon Earth whom I should not make throughly sensible of the Power I have in the Countries which depend on my authority Therefore Sir you must tell mee if you have taken either of those persons For I will die in the place or I will make him that hath them in keeping release them and whatsoever you are able to do or say nothing shall hinder mee from cutting in pieces all those that accompany you if they are not delivered to my hands For to suffer this breach in my Charge and that before my Face any one should seize upon Persons that are under my Protection is an affront which I can less indure than Death This inflamed the fiery Sarmatian with such Fury that fetching a Career hee had fallen upon Iphigenes like an hasty storm if hee who was no less dexterous than the other fierce had not handsomly slipped aside and let pass the impetuosity of that Torrent Then those that attended him interposing themselves to hinder them from joyning you might have seen Mieslas foaming with rage and brandishing his naked Sword with threats to dip it in his own blood that was in the body of Iphigenes who having not so much as laid his hand upon the Guard of his was resolved rather to die by his Father's hand than draw his Sword against him But as how graceless soever Children are yet there remain's some raye of Paternall reverence in their Souls So in the Heart of a Father what Choler soever animate's him against his Children there is a secret Advocate which plead's their Cause and make's the Weapons fall out of their hands This was verified by that occurrence for what Passion soever transported Mieslas at the present hee was afterwards glad of those Gentlemen's opposing his fury and that they had given his Indignation leisure to appease the impetuosity of it's violent Surges beeing better satisfied to have killed his Son with his Tongue then his hands and run him through with threats then with his Rapier At length Iphigenes beeing assured by the Gentleman of the Castle and the Souldiers that Liante had given them the slip the day before his mind was indifferently well pacified but yet much troubled that hee knew not whither hee was gone So the storm beeing quite blown over the Father and Son accosted each other and Mieslas abating not a little of his rigid haughtiness By said hee swearing desperately I think you will force mee to deliver those whom I have not in my power but if I had you should assoon wrest the Club out of Hercules hands as teare them out of my clutches I bless the Heavens Sir said Iphigenes that things be in the condition they are I must confess I should be much troubled to see persons ill treated in any territories whose preservation is pretious to mee But said Mieslas may not I know if that was Liante Sir answered Iphigenes that equivocall appellation deceive's you it is Almeria who having put on Man's cloaths to go a Hunting and do violent exercises with more Freedom and Activity call's herself Calliante which name I imposed upon her in an humour it signifie's Fair-Flower What Fair-Flower said Mieslas indeed shee did well to vanish before I came For never any Haile did so much spoil in the Vineyards as my Blowes should have done on Her Shoulders if I could have laid hold on Her With some other such like passages which wanted not Quips and Jarring words they re-entred the City of Plocens Iphigenes having alwayes his hand upon his wound that is his thoughts continually returning to his Loss of Liante The Pilot that in the midst of dangerous Rocks is agitated by a raging Tempest and from whose Eyes the horrid shades of Night doe hide the twinkling flames of his directing Star is not in greater perplexity then our Iphigenes not knowing which way to steer his course in pursuit of his dear Liante With what an Eye did hee behold the Princess at his return esteeming her the principall cause of all these troubles Hee carried himself with such indifference towards her abating so much of those Courtesies and Compliments whereof hee was esteemed the onely Master that it was much the despight of seeing her affection so ill recompensed had not cured her of that wound which the Beauty of Iphigenes had made in the Center of her Heart But alas it was incurable since neither Time Absence Cruelty nor Disdain the sovereign remedies of that Desease were able to asswage the torment of her languishing Pain Mieslas very unsatisfied with his Son's deportments resolved to depart next Morning for Podolia as well to give orders concerning the affairs of his Charge and Family as to cause Modestina to be more strictly garded take his Daughter Clemencia with him to Court there to attend the Queen untill the Prince Cassin should marry her And the Princess Respicia settled her resolution to return to the Court more in love than ever with the perfections of Iphigenes but less satisfied with his Courtesie Onely Hope which never leaveth us in the midst of the greatest disasters somewhat appeased the tempest of that Ladie 's thoughts by the assurance which Iphigenes confirmed to her of making himself her 's assoon as his dispensation had restored him to himself The same Night shee went from Plocens Iphigenes found under the Carpet in his Chamber a note the Characters and sense whereof accused the hand and invention of Respicia all the contents were amorous complaints and exclamations against inconstancy but no subscription nor any particular address to him yet hee needed no Oedipus for the expounding of that Riddle hee plainly saw that shee complained of him but hee feared less that despight would cure her Love than to see her flames increase
making his Horse trample his unworthy Soul out of his conquered Body But Iphigenes seeing the danger of him from whom hee had his Beeing leaving his adversary on the ground ran presently to Mieslas whose deplorable condition sufficiently implored his succour At length hee stopt the fugitive Horse and leaping from his own hee cut the stirrop that trailed his Father's Body which was in little better case than Polemander's Hee was already without motion and questionless had taken his leave of the World if the pious Iphigenes opening his Head-piece had not given him some Air which hee no sooner felt but hee recovered Breath not without voiding blood at the Nose and Mouth in great abundance After some passages of the triumphing Liante the desire of preserving Mieslas drew these words from Iphigenes Mouth which his high spirit would never have permitted his Tongue to utter if his own person had been reduced to the greatest of extremities Liante it is now in thy power to rid thy self of both Father and Son at once if thou permittest thy Vengeance to despise my Friendship but know that Heaven never leaves Ingratitude unpunished content thy Ambition with the advantage the Chance of Arms hath now given thee without abusing by Insolence thy Victory and if thou art as good a Friend as a stout Champion go succour him whom I have reduced to the same danger as thou hast my Father Brave Iphigenes replyed Liante thy Friendship which shall never die in my Soul shall alwayes have more power over mee than the Outrages of that Tyrant It is pitty that a Son so full of Vertue should proceed from a Father so worthy of Hatred ADIEU and know that thy Will is the Chain of my Freedome This said hee passed as quick as a flash of Lightning spurring towards Polemander in whose pale Face Death had already plac'd her Ensignes Having loosened his Helmet hee saw his Eyes begin to open as if hee came from the other World But not to spend any longer time in this Relation at length every one returned to his Quarters the best he could leaving the judgements of the Spectatours suspended upon the strangeness of this incounter which gave scope enough for discourse on both sides But let this suffice that all acknowledged the hand of Heaven upon the Arrogance of Mieslas had compassion on Polemander esteemed the fortunate Valour of Liante but extolled to the Skies the Courage and Piety of the Palatine of Plocens To express the rage that seized Mieslas when come again to himself hee represented to his thoughts the Affront hee had receiven in the Face of the whole Army were impossible Eloquence want's tearms to relate the Excess of his Fury Sometimes hee accused Heaven as the Cause of his Disaster Sometimes hee condemned his Servants for bringing him that Horse Sometimes hee was in the humour to dy rather than survive such a disgrace Sometimes instead of acknowledging the courtesie hee had received from his Enemy hee seemed as if like a Torrent or Thunder-bolt hee would force through the Walls of the besieged City to tear the heart out of Liante's Bosome Hee that hath e're beheld a Bear wounded with an Arrow sticking in his Flank beat himself against the Shaft take it in his Teeth and striving turn it within his Entrails hath seen an emblem of Mieslas Passion which bred such torment in his mind as cannot bee express'd but by the Name of Despair All bruised as hee lay in his Bed beeing hardly able to move hee studied memorable revenges against him to whom hee owed his Life But leaving him to foam out his Choler let us see what Liante do's within the City where there were not Laurells enough to make him Crowns nor Praises significant enough to extoll his Merit The indisposition of Polemander somewhat disturbed the Inhabitants rejoicing but the publick Good always overbalancing the disaster of any particular person it did not diminish the applauses of his Gallantry Besides hee having no other harm than what hee received by his fall the care of his Parents his own youth and good constitution soon restored him to a condition that promised more Hope than Fear of his recovery Mean time whilest the Brother's Body was healing the Sister's mind impaired For Jealousie which is a Love that 's sick increased in Oloria's Heart proportionably as Liante rendered more evident Demonstrations of affection to Amiclea And now his thoughts beeing swell'd with the glory of this Victory what durst not hee promise himself as you may well imagine his Minde beeing naturally ambitious hee easily suffered himself to bee carried upon the Wings of the Wind feeling a pleasing murmure of popular praises buzzing in his Ears Neither was hee deceived For Olavius conceived such an opinion of him that thence-forwards hee deliberated at what rate soever to make him his Son-in-law imagining that that commotion beeing ended it would bee no hard matter for him to procure a revoking of that confiscation which Mieslas had obtein'd of his Estate or rather to make it one of the Articles of their Capitulation if they should come to treat with the King for the repose of Lithuania But as the Heart beeing seated in the middle of the Brest as the Center of humane Bodies leaneth however more to one side than the other So although Liante composed his Countenance and Gestures and ordered his Speeches in such manner that hee seemed to share his respects equally betwixt the two Sisters it was impossible for him to hinder his Eyes which are the Windowes of the Soul from betraying his inclinations For the presence of the Object beloved to a Lover as the Needle of a Compass touched with a Load stone is to the Arctick Pole His looks discovered his thoughts which sallied out at the same port-holes that gave Entrance to those Desires which like theeves stole away his Heart At length Amiclea being yet too young to understand the Language of his Eyes Liante unable to support any longer the torment hee indured by reteining his Passion prisoner it hapned that the same day hee broke his tedious Silence to declare to his new Idoll the Sacrifice hee offered her of his Affections poor Oloria unfortunately arrived to Shipwrack her Hopes against the Rock of Disdain discovering to Liante her Jealousie before shee had disclosed her Love I will not stand to repeat their Discourses loth to fill up this Paper with frivolous words contenting my self to say that Liante's aversion against Oloria was much augmented when hee had read the malady of her Mind and that impertinent humour whereby shee seemed to impose Lawes to his Will as if shee had already gained an Empire over his Soul And beeing very ingenious without disobliging her otherwise he made her understand in handsome tearms that hee cared as little for her Affection as her Jealousie and that his sight was not yet so bad but that hee could discern Objects more capable of contenting his contemplation But hee continued his
to present his throat to your hand that you may Sacrifice him to your Revenge He believe's all that I have told him onely the despair of obtaining pardon for his ingratitude to you hindering him from coming to demand it in person he hath made me his Ambassadour Then having related every particular passage betwixt him and Liante and disposed Iphigenes to receive him He presently went to conduct him into the Prisoner's Chamber Liante was so sensible of having disobliged so admirable a constancy as that of Iphigenes that hee approacht his Bed with no less throbbing of Heart and confusion of thoughts than if hee had been going to receive the punishment of some haynous Crime And shame raised tumults not much less disorderly in Iphigenes minde seeing himself necessitated to acknowledge what he had so long kept from the World's notice Hee that had beheld the penctentiall tears of the one and the modest blushes of the other would have thought hee had seen red Roses impearled with the dew of Heaven I had rather confess my ignorance than imbark my self in the relation of Passions which must bee consigned to Silence since hee that would express their mutuall satisfactions must bee transformed into the Resentments of their Souls Those two Hearts opened themselves so perfectly to each other in the presence of the Old Man Depositary of all their thoughts that there remained nothing that might oppose the perfection of their chaste Love There full reparations were made by Liante and his Excuses received by Iphigenes There absolute Remissions cast all offences into Oblivion There Iphigenes charging herself with one part of the fault for having concealed her Secret so long from her dear Liante and Liante accusing himself to excuse Iphigenes bred a sweet contention which pacified all other quarrells There were made all the Promises and plighted all the Faith 's necessary to swear an inviolable Fidelity There Suspicions Diffidence Vmbrages Choller and all other Failings were so buried that the wounds left onely scarrs in shew that they had been In conclusion to hide the blazing of this mutuall Fire from other's view it was decreed in their secret Councill whereof Boleslaüs was the President that Liante feining not to desire to force Amiclea's will should seem to have cured himself of her Contempt by Despight and turn his affection towards Oloria in compassion of her Sufferings and for consideration of her Constancy rather than her Beauty As for Iphigenes all Obstacles and Scruples beeing now taken away It was judged convenient that hee should make open profession of caressing and serving Amiclea not without some handsomely contrived inventions for the deferring his re-search untill the treaty of Peace was concluded And to render their Design less perceptible they added this industry That Liante should continue in his dissatisfaction of Iphigenes and although absolutely free from Passion for Amiclea should however still make a shew of Jealousie at least of Envy and Choller against him as having robbed him of that Ladie 's Heart which hee pretended As they resolved so was it executed Insomuch that Oloria became no less contented to see him who had so much despised her make his addresses to her than Amiclea to see herself delivered of his importunities just as shee was upon the point of rendring herself to the imperious compulsion of her Parents But when shee knew it was to give Iphigenes the place whose mutuall Love was the height of her Desires you may imagine in that condition if shee could refrain from telling her Mother Iphigenes having injoyned her to keep it secret purposely that shee should divulge it and her Mother beeing a Woman could not hold long from acquainting her Husband which raised his thoughts to the Skies beeing carried upon the Wings of the Hope hee conceived to have the Favorite of Polonia for his Son-in-Law This imagination contributed not a little to the advancement of the King's service and the publick Peace For Olavius having great credit in the Lithuanian Party induced them to submit to diverse of the King's Demands desiring to conclude the Peace that those alliances might be brought to perfection Whilest our Lovers swam in the contentment of their reciprocall affections the World which like the Sea hath nothing more constant than its inconstancy and whose most faire dayes are the least certain prepared them an horrible Tempest The King at the return of his Physitians beeing informed of Iphigenes recovery dispatched Deputies from his Councill to the Camp with a Commission to Iphigenes to treat with them and the principall Officers of his Army concerning an agreement with the Lithuanians and the generall Peace Hereupon there was a Cessation of Arms on both sides seconded by a Truce for certain dayes during which time those of the Besieger's Army went freely into Minsce and the Besieged had liberty to go into the Camp or where else they listed Iphigenes with the Commissioners of the Lithuanians going dayly into the Camp to treat with the King's Officers had advanced their affairs to such a forwardness as promised an happy conclusion But when they came to the Article that concerned the re-establishment of Liante in his Estate indeavouring to content the Palatine of Podolia who could not bee perswaded to that restitution by means of an alliance betwixt that young Nobleman and one of his Daughters the furious Sarmatian refusing to consent to either re-entertained in his brutall Minde the desire of executing upon Liante that barbarous Design wee have already mentioned and which cannot bee rehearsed without shame For this effect hee set his Engines on work who were not so secret in the Conduct of their business but Iphigenes had notice of their proceedings And beeing informed that contrary to the publick Faith this enterprise was to bee attempted at his retreat into Minsce where as beeing a Prisoner hee was obliged to render himself every Night hee implored the Generall of the King's Armie's succour to hinder that violence Which was effected according to his desire Liante beeing retired into the Castellain of Cracovia's Quarters who in despight of Mieslas ambushes caused him to bee safely convoyed into Minsce Iphigenes still accompanying him with a resolution to treat his own Father like an Enemy if hee had come to assault them This so inraged Mieslas that the next day hee resolved to bee revenged of his Son therein not much unlike an irritated Mastif who bite's the stone not beeing able to reach him that threw it And in effect when hee thought to returne after the Assembly according to his Custome into the City Mieslas seized on him saying that as a perfidious Traitor to the King and Publick hee would sacrifice him to Example and like a brutall and unnaturall Brutus make him die by his own hands in the view of the whole Army Iphigenes who knew that such an execution could not bee done without the formes of Justice and besides feeling himself innocent submitted without resistance desiring that they
overspread her Cheeks and her attire had such conformity with that which Virgenia wore when shee was brought into the Palace together with the favour of the Time Place and Shadiness of the Chamber that no body could know her on the sodain for Iphigenes there was not one but had his Eyes dazled at the splendour of so rare a Beauty and not one Soul in the whole Company so Envious as not to confess seeing those two Lovers that they were as the happiest so the handsomest Couple in the World Mieslas was the first couzened Insomuch that hee cryed out alowd hee did not think hee had been Father of so beautifull a Daughter What think you Madam said the King turning to the Queen were it not an impiety for a Father to disown so admirable a Daughter Shee seem's to mee an Angell rather answered the Queen and that shee hath more reason to acknowledge the Heaven for her Father than Mieslas Indeed said Florimunda it were great Pitty that such a Jewell should be hidden hence-forwards this Lady will be one of the richest Ornaments of the Court That 's evident replied the King and Liante shall do well to be carefull of her for if so many Ladies were inamoured of her Brother her penetrating glances will ingender no less flames in diverse Courtier 's Hearts The Royall Chamber seemed at that time like a Serene Heaven wherein their Majesties were the greater Lights the others the meaner Planets as the Infanta Florimunda Modestina the Princess Respicia Amiclea Melindra and poore Oloria quite Eclipsed But what Rank can wee give to the fair IPHIGENIA unless it bee that of the Planet that bear 's the Name of the Goddess which causeth Love When Oloria saw that glorious Star shee would have hidden herself from her own Eyes The changing of her Colour shewed sufficiently the distemper of her thoughts but all the Assembly was so attentive in contemplating the incomparable IPHIGENIA that no body took notice of her alterations Shee confess 't her self vanquished by that eminent Beauty therein shee read the cause of Liante's scorns whom in her Heart shee called Traitor for having spoken of Affection to her beeing prepossessed with that Object Shee had nothing left to support her senses in that Despair but this sorry consolation that her Sister Was as much excalled in Beauty as Shee surpassed her in handsomness At length shee excused her unfaithfull Lover as having made a choyce so worthy of his Judgement that shee herself was constain'd to approve it The Queen having for some time held her Eyes attentively fixed on IPHIGENIA'S Face turned to Florimunda saying Sister by the Life of the King my Lord I do not think it is possible to finde through the whole World two Faces more like than those of the Brother and the Sister There is but one Letter's difference in their Names but in their Faces I finde not the least tittle of exception and if Iphigenes were in Women's cloaths I believe we should hardly be able to distinguish them Iphigenes hearing this Discourse notwithstanding the gravity and modest bashfulness wherewith hee had studiously composed his Conntenance could not refrain smiling but with so pleasing a grace as obliged the Infanta to reply Madam There is no difference but in their action For Iphigenes hath I know not what of Martiall in his Face but this Lady hath a certain sofclier look so full of attraction that her sweetness charm's me What Philosophicall severity would not have changed countenance at these Speeches The King had all the pain imaginable to contein himself seeing so universall an Errour Then the Infanta speaking again to the Queen said Madam do's not your Majesty perceive that this Nymph Almeris whom Iphigenes hath chosen for his Wife excepting her complexion which is somewhat tauny by beeing much exposed to the Sun hath some resemblance to Liante I did think so replied the Queen but not to interrupt the King who was speaking I forbore declaring of my sense The King who made a shew of not hearing this Discourse knew that artificiall things like Paint are but of little durance and if hee should differ the discovery of that Secret much longer hee should lose the pleasure of his Stratagem For hee overheard already the Palatine's three friends Pomeran Pisides and Argal saying to each other Would not you say that were Serife I must confess I never saw any Sister so perfectly a Brother Clemencia hearing the high praises every Spectator gave to the perfections of her Naturall Sister would willingly have quitted the quality of Legitimate to have possessed so eminent a Beauty and a secret worm of Envy gnawing her Heart made her conceit that the extolling of Iphigenia's graces was the eclypsing of her's The Prince Cassin who could have wished to himself as many Eyes as the Poëts gave Argus the better to contemplate IPHIGENIA could not forbear saying that Liante was the happiest of Men. As many Heads as many Opinions as many Mouths as many Censures Onely poor Aretuza dreading the success of this adventure was like one that hold's the Porringer whilest the Surgeon is opening his Vein the Cruelty of Mieslas swam in her Fancy his inhumane humour dazled her Eyes with terrour and although shee was in the King's Court a sacred and inviolable Sanctuary and under his protection yet shee trembled like a Pigeon that see 's a Gerfaulcon neer him LIANTE and IPHIGENIA beeing contracted the King promised Mieslas to pay his Daughter's Dowry and gratifie Liante with such pensions and Honours as hee should not grudge to leave him the use of his Estate during Life ordeining that the first Male-Child that should proceed of that Marriage should bear the Name and Arms of the house of Mieslas and the rest Liante's All the Ceremony beeing past the Queen and Florimunda according to the ordinary curiosity of great Ladies would have had Iphigenia come neer them that they might examine her Beauties and make triall of her Wit But the King who knew that Gold would not indure the Touch commanded Boleslaüs to re-conduct the new Contracted Couple into his Closet untill hee should give order for their coming forth together with the former like the four wheeles of a Triumphant Chariot Which done beating the Iron while it was hot and not to give leisure to the assistants of discoursing and communicating their Opinions having prepared their attentions by promising to tell them one of the strangest Evenements any Age had produced upon the Theater of the World hee related summarily the History of the Birth Education and Fortune of Iphigenes with the principall Passages already declared in this Narration And then turning to Mieslas Behold said hee Seigneur Palatine the memorable Marvell your Rigour hath produced are not you happy to have brought into the World a Daughter that surpasseth so many Men in Valour and Generosity and so many Women in Beauty And let mee tell you if for preserving this Miracle of Nature you should
Harmonious in his Ears thus replyed You may see Brother how far doth transport mee not the Love of an Image as you imagine but the power of my Friendship to you I say to you to your Person to Liante as Liante not as the Portraicture of Modestina Indeed I love her as my duty obligeth mee but do not you know that nothing is so ill performed out of that Respect as Loving since that Passion beeing the Daughter of our Will retaineth something of the Mother's Disposition whose Element or rather Substance is Freedome But besides the constreint of a Matrimonall Bond which how golden soever it be is alwayes a Bond in my mind that Sex in regard of it's frailty is so little capable to sustein that streight and durable Knot of a true Friendship that the greatest inclination a Man can have for Women is nothing in comparison to that pure and cordiall Affection which hee bear 's to a Friend who is his second self For it is betwixt two equall Hearts that is formed that reciprocall correspondence wherein consisteth the Essence of Friendship In that you apprehend to wish your self of another Sex to attract from mee a more ardent Affection you have reason considering that were to wish a mighty inconvenience for a mean advantage For perchance if you were as your Sister is my Affection would bee much less fervent to you for then I should look upon you with more Compassion than Passion as a brittle Vessell more worthy of Pitty than Envy Yet if your Heart invite's you to desire a condition so miserable as that of Women whom God and Nature have Created to bee subject unto Men to augment in mee an Affection which is already infinite Give mee leave to answer your wish who without Dissimulation or Consultation would to the greatest contentment of my Soul relinquish not onely the favour of the Court the dignity of my Palatinate and the benefits I receive by the bounty of the best and most liberall Prince in the World the King my Master but all that I am to purchase mee the power of beeing your Wife It is I who am really jealous of Clemencia and who would gladly have but so much priviledge of your thoughts as my Sister whose inconstant Soul was so shaken with the wind of my Father's fury that shee would have been perswaded to marry Cassin had not the disdain of seeing his Mother desirous of my Bed made him retire out of Podolia sooner than Mieslas expected Oh fickle Girle said I when I saw her so poor-spirited in an incounter where shee needed but to have spoken boldy and carved out a Negative Oh wavering Girle said I and unworthy of so perfect a Lover as Liante had the Heavens put mee in thy place I would surely have shewed more Fidelity and Resolution But what can bee expected from that Sex but infirmities since it is the pure substance of Debility and therefore alwayes shivering and moving like a Leaf Yet what defects soever I do condemn in that Sex I would not greatly care if I my self were of it if I thought thereby to be more your's or that you would love mee as well as my Sister Here Almeria taking the word out of Iphigenes mouth said Believe mee Brother That if you love me as much or more than my Sister whereunto I can hardly be perswaded knowing the little reason you have it is the like with mee and as if our Stars had Embraced at our Births to Express my Resentments naturally and nakedly to you I never had by many degrees so much inclination for Clemencia as for you and thereby I find that Friendship hath a more powerfull ascendent over my Heart than Love which to say the Truth is a Passion too Effeminate to have any regency in a Masculine spirit And to give you assurance that the Resentments are reall which make mee declare my self in these Tearms Hold for most certain that Clemencia shall never be any thing more to mee than what you please and if you conceive that it may be for her advantage to Marry the Prince Cassin and mine to have another Wife I will most freelie renounce all those Pretentions which your Perswasions induced me to have for her my desire subscribing willingly to your command Iphigenes seeing Almeria arrived at that Point whereunto hee most passionately desired to reduce her Resolution was strongly tempted to disclose the secret of his Birth But not having the conveniency to consult his two Oracles his Mother and his Governour hee conteined himself but with such pain as may better bee imagined than discribed So contenting himself to have absolutely withdrawn Almeria's thoughts from Clemencia which was the clog that most oppressed his Mind and to have obtained her consent to his Sister's alliance with Cassin promising to finde another Match that should raise her Fortunes infinitely beyond what shee could have hoped by Clemencia It is requisite said hee to conceal your self from those whom my Father hath incharged to apprehend and carry you to him Alive or Dead that you continue this Life untill wee can finde the means to convey you into the Citty or untill my Relegation beeing repealed I may send for you to the Court where by the King's Authority I doubt not but to secure you from the Tyranny of Mieslas and shall take order for the advancement of your Fortune Mean time for our Recreations let us persist in dazling the Eyes of those that are about us as well your Rusticks as my Attendants Therefore the more ardour I shall express to you the more disdainfully do you treat mee the better to wipe out of their thoughts the sinister Opinion which they have conceived that you are a Maid of an unchast Life And to the end our Conversation may bee more frequent I have an intention to put my self likewise as a Servant to Celian whom I presume wee shall draw to any thing by the powder of Injection wherewith wee will fill both his Hands and his Eyes making him believe that to avoid the rigour of our Parents who would not consent to the terminating of our Legitimate Affections by the sacred tie of Matrimony wee have been constreined to leave our Native Citty and make use of this stratagem to meet and enjoy more freely each other's company but with all the Civilitie that can be expected from persons which make profession of Chastity Almeria who was in the Hand of Iphigenes as clay in the Potter's condescended to whatsoever hee propounded And in effect a Purse full of Chekeens or Crowns of Gold had no sooner made the Preface of Iphigenes Speech to Celian but hee believed the rest as an Oracle and with both hands pressed it to a conclusion And taking this occasion as an occurrence of Treasure hee prayed Iphigenes to dispose of all that was within his small power as his own and under the notion of Servant to command as Master This did not displease the old Man's Daughters
who were not so blockish as not to like the company of this new Guest Onely Manile was ready to run beyond his Reason protesting with many Oathes to his Father to leave his House if hee entertained that stranger Celian to pacifie him shewed him how hee was an enemy to his own good Fortune telling him that those Angells were not onely the Gardians but the enrichers of his Family Whereunto Hee beeing deafned by Jealousie could give no eare but continued murmuring incessantly against his Father's covetousness Mean time Almeria to disabuse her two lately created Kins-women tell 's them another new forgery It is true said shee I came hither in Man's Habit having made use thereof to withdraw my self from under my Parent 's Wings not that I had made anie breach in my Honour but fallen off from my Obedience to them And I thought that their severitie did furnish me with a Sufficient dispensation For beeing desired in Marriage by one Iphis a Young Gentleman richer and of a better Extraction than I am although contrary to the will of his friends in whose Opinion I seemed too mean a Fortune for him my Father not daring to promise mee to him without the consent of his Father whose power was redoubtable wee deliberated to be free from that servitude to betake our selves to the wide World and therefore having put on Disguises to facilitate our Escapes wee fled into these Woods expecting untill Time which bring 's all things to perfection should dispose our Parent 's wills to condescend to our chaste desires Thus in few words you have the History of our Lives wherein I see no other Crime than this ardent Affection which hath made us fall not into any Dishonesty for we detest Vice with horror but into some sort of Lightness immodesty which may easily be pardoned by them who know to what Extrmities are transported those that are touched with the same Passion that animate's our Souls This Discourse shee made to Merinda Remonda Belida which beeing ended the two later looked as disdainfully as their Passion could make them upon the other reproaching her of the false Accusations shee had raised against Almeria's Honesty Whereupon Merinda very confusedly Answered that Almeria had with so many different Stories overturned her belief that indeed shee knew not how to trust her her former Lies prejudicing what Truths shee might afterwards deliver To represent the divers Motions this last Invention cast into the spirits of these three Parcae would require too much time for seeing their hopes nipped in the Bud as well on Almeria's part whom one while they thought to bee a Man as on the other Stranger 's whom they imagined did keep them company onely to wait on Iphis they concurred like the Parcae indeed in the same conclusion which was to cut the Thred of these strange Practises by hunting away those unknown Persons that disturbed their repose The same Design had Lupicin and his companions But before they came to any violence and to make use of the Lion's skin they were not so little politick as not to know that the Foxe's ought to bee employed first having gained so much power over themselves as to dissemble what they thought However they broke their minds to Celian laying before his Eyes the many hazards whereunto he exposed himself by concealing in his House persons that were liable to the Law and who durst not shew their Heads for fear of the Justice But the vertue of that yellow metall which is the measure of all things had so strongly operated in his brain that he was incapable of any other reason than that of his profit In mean while the Time passed away so deliciously with Iphigenes who serving with a condition to do no Work which was likewise Almeria's Agreement saw not onely every day but every hour of the day the beloved Object which onely could comfort him and yet which was the sweet cause of all his disquietness Great was the astonishment of his Friends to see that Passion had reduced him to so vile a Function Especially Pomeran was in an unspeakable anguish for his Transfiguration yet durst not speak much to him for fear of exasperating his humour knowing that fair perswasions would prevail much more upon his generous spirit than the sharpness of Reproaches Argal and Pisides were more moderate and complacent making a favorable construction of all his Actions yet they could not sometimes but resent a little indignation to see him so Wedded to that Almeria in whom observing no such exquisite Beauty they could not imagine whence should proceed those Charms that so strongly bewitched and besotted his Reason then condemning themselves again of too much harshness they sought Excuses in the tenderness of their Affections to him saying This fantasie will not last long it is too violent the necessitie of the affairs of his charge will shortly call him back to his Government All these passages will quickly bee carried to the Court and Shame will make him forsake this enterprise The actions of great Persons how secret soever they be are at last divulged such publick Ministers can act nothing in private Those that are exposed to the light of the Day and to the view of the whole World cannot remain long in obscuritie Mean time we must endure this storm and take our share of this unpleasant pastime we would willingly follow the Palatine in some other occasions as more glorious so more perillous the worst that can befall in this is but laughter and besides the Passion which produceth these actions carrieth it's excuse in its blindness Thus did the friends of Iphigenes discourse amongst themselves But Hee was like unto those who having Ulcers in their Bodies do not apprehend any thing more than the hand of the Surgeon Presents saith an Antient Writer pacifie both the Gods and Men the Heavens and the Earth have a delight in receiving Hee that invented Gifts hath forged Chains to inthrall Hearts The poor Peasants have a custome to bring petty Presents to their Land-lords either to preserve or purchase their Favours And our Rusticks received Gifts from those strangers to let them live peaceably amongst them Celian was ravished and thought it was Jupiter that was come to visit his House in a showre of Gold his Daughters were all repaired with the Favours Iphigenes and his Companions bestowed on them Not so much as Lupicin Fleurial Manile Antalcas and Polemas but every one of them resented the benefits of their Benevolence besides the good Cheer which they made every day at their charge Wine beeing as plentifull with them as Water and no spare made of delicate Dishes These Exercises of the Teeth hindred for a while their Tongues from murmuring and did make as it were a Dam to stop the torrent of their envy Nothing was to be thought upon but Feasts and Banquets after the Country fashion wherein Iphigenes made a great shew with a little Expence Hee was presently taken